View source for WTVJ

{{Short description|Television station in Miami}}
{{good article}}
{{distinguish|WJTV}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WTVJ
| city = Miami, Florida
| atsc3 = yes
| logo = WTVJ 2023.svg
| logo_alt = An NBC peacock on top of a blue numeral 6, overlapping it in the lower left corner
| logo_upright = .6
| branding = NBC 6
| digital = 31 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 6
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''6.1:''' [[NBC]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| owner = [[NBC Owned Television Stations]]
| licensee = NBC Telemundo License [[LLC]]
| location = [[Miami]]–[[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]]
| country = United States
| airdate = {{start date and age|1949|3|21|p=y|br=yes}}
| sister_stations = [[WSCV]]
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 4 ([[VHF]], 1949–1995), 6 (VHF, 1995–2009)}}
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|[[CBS]] (1949–1989)|[[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]] (secondary, 1949–1956)|NBC (secondary, 1949–1956)|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (secondary, 1949–1957)}}
| erp = 1,000 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|311|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 63154
| coordinates = {{coord|25|58|8|N|80|13|19|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.nbcmiami.com/}}
}}

'''WTVJ''' (channel 6) is a [[television station]] in [[Miami]], Florida, United States. It is [[owned and operated]] by the [[NBC]] television network through its [[NBC Owned Television Stations]] division alongside [[Fort Lauderdale]]–licensed [[WSCV]] (channel 51), a [[flagship station]] of [[Telemundo]]. The two stations share studios on Southwest 27th Street in [[Miramar, Florida|Miramar]]; WTVJ's transmitter is located in [[Andover, Florida]].

WTVJ began broadcasting March 21, 1949, on channel 4 as Florida's first television station. Owned by [[Wometco Enterprises]], a Miami movie theater operator, the station nearly did not launch due to a disputed transfer of the [[construction permit]]. A primary affiliate of [[CBS]], WTVJ was Miami's only television station for four years, establishing a head-start in local programming. Anchorman [[Ralph Renick]] had Miami's highest-rated television newscast for 34 years, [[Chuck Zink]]'s children's show ''Skipper Chuck'' ran for more than 20 years, and the station featured sports coverage and local Spanish-language programming. WTVJ produced a series of notable reporters and anchors, including [[Jane Chastain]], [[Katie Couric]], [[Bernard Goldberg]], and [[Martha Teichner]]. This era of stability and ratings success began to decay considerably after Wometco's owner, [[Mitchell Wolfson]], died in 1983. The firm's television stations were sold to investment company [[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts]] (KKR), which instituted cost cuts and management changes that prompted Renick to exit in 1985, months after his evening newscast fell to second place for the first time. After Renick's departure, WTVJ fell to third place in news ratings.

KKR acquired [[Storer Communications]] soon after purchasing WTVJ, creating a [[Media cross-ownership in the United States|cross-ownership]] conflict between Storer's cable systems in South Florida and WTVJ. [[Lorimar-Telepictures]] initially agreed to purchase the station but backed out once it emerged that CBS was looking at buying another Miami station, [[WFOR-TV|WCIX (channel 6)]], at a discount. The effect was to scare off buyers that were not themselves television networks. NBC agreed to buy WTVJ in 1987, displacing its longtime Miami affiliate, [[WSVN]] (channel 7). WSVN's affiliation agreement with NBC expired at the end of 1988, until which NBC continued to run WTVJ as a CBS affiliate. The purchase catalyzed a [[1989 South Florida television affiliation switch|six-station, two-market affiliation switch]] on January 1, 1989, when WTVJ became an NBC affiliate; CBS moved to WCIX; and WSVN became an [[independent station]] affiliated with Fox. The switch came amidst a multi-million-dollar publicity campaign that critics considered grating and off-putting. Though NBC made a significant investment in the news department and its coverage of [[Hurricane Andrew]] won industry acclaim, WTVJ's local newscasts remained mired in third place. The newsroom was beset by problems: turnover of news anchors, an unsuccessful attempt to clone WSVN's news presentation style, and low ratings for NBC's daytime programming.

[[1994–1996 United States broadcast television realignment|Another round of television affiliation realignment]], this time affecting markets nationwide, led to a September 10, 1995, channel switch with WCIX as part of an asset trade between NBC and CBS. On that date, WTVJ and its NBC and local programming moved to channel 6, while WCIX and its CBS and local programming moved to channel 4 as [[WFOR-TV]]. The switch was an upgrade for CBS and a downgrade for NBC, as the analog channel 6 facility in Miami faced location restrictions that reduced its population coverage. Despite this, WTVJ found a news identity under general manager [[Don Browne]], who led the station to its best newscast ratings performance since the Renick years in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Browne oversaw WTVJ's move from downtown Miami to its Miramar studios in 2000 and the integration of WSCV with WTVJ after NBC bought Telemundo in 2001. The station has run generally first or second among English-language local newscasts since the early 2000s, complimenting overall market leader WSCV.

==The Wometco years==
=== Permitting, construction, and hearings ===
The Southern Radio and Television Equipment Company applied to the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) on January 6, 1947, for permission to build a television station in Miami on channel 4.<ref name="hc">{{Cite web|url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=86993|title=History Cards for WTVJ|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513042306/https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=86993|url-status=live}} These are bound to the WFOR-TV license file because of the way in which the 1995 frequency swap was handled.</ref> The permit was granted on March 12, 1947, and president Robert G. Venn announced that Miami would have television by August. In addition to Venn, principals in Southern Radio and Television Equipment included Edward N. Claughton, a banker and title insurance company owner, and attorney E. J. Nelson.<ref name="Miam470313">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-miami-promised-television/147213579/|date=March 13, 1947|page=6-B|title=Miami Promised Television Station|newspaper=Miami Daily News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041259/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-miami-promised-television/147213579/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->

{{Quote box
| quote = ...&nbsp;I saw [in World War II] that modern civilization depended on communication. The German army was really defeated when we destroyed their communications, and I made up my mind when I got back to the states and got back to private industry&nbsp;... that I would engage our company in some form of communication. Having been in the motion picture industry where we were well acquainted with both sight and sound, it seemed to me that television had the greatest opportunity in which we could serve and profit from communications.
| author = [[Mitchell Wolfson]]
| source = founder of WTVJ<ref name="u726">{{Cite video |url=https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/245398 |title=Fifteen Years with 4; WTVJ's 15th Anniversary, A Look Back |type=Television production |publisher=WTVJ/Wometco Enterprises |year=1964 |time=2:16 |access-date=May 26, 2024 |via=State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory |archive-date=October 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017174811/https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/245398 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| width = 325px
}}

In March 1948, Southern Radio and Television Equipment filed to transfer the construction permit for WTVJ to Wolfson-Meyer Theatre Enterprises, Inc., better known as [[Wometco Enterprises]].{{r|hc}} From the beginning, Wometco was headed by co-founder [[Mitchell Wolfson]].{{r|MiamiH19830129p1}} On July 29, the FCC moved to revoke WTVJ's construction permit, having learned that Claughton had backed out. The commission's action came as WTVJ was nearly ready to begin broadcasting,<ref name="Miam480730">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-television-station-here/147203137/|date=July 30, 1948|page=1|title=Television Station Here Loses Permit|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041301/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-television-station-here/147203137/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> just weeks before an announced August 15 date to start testing<ref name="Miam480630">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-television-testing-here/147203767/|date=June 30, 1948|page=1-B|title=Television Testing Here Will Start On Aug. 15|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041310/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-television-testing-here/147203767/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> and after a contract had been leased to turn a Wometco theater on Third Street into studios for WTVJ<ref name="Miam480718">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-contract-set-for-televi/147203849/|date=July 18, 1948|page=3-B|title=Contract Set For Television Studio Here|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041306/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-contract-set-for-televi/147203849/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> and a transmitter had been shipped.<ref>{{cite news|work=Broadcasting|title=WTVJ Transmitter|page=67|date=May 31, 1948|id={{ProQuest|1014899158}} }}</ref> The commission believed that the transfer of interests from Claughton to Wometco was a misrepresentation and concealment.<ref name="BC480802">{{Cite news|title=Miami TV Revoked: AM Set for Hearing|date=August 2, 1948|page=24|work=Broadcasting|id={{ProQuest|1040353164}} }}</ref> Construction activity halted after the revocation order was issued.<ref name="Miam480731">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvj-halts-construction/147203915/|date=July 31, 1948|page=1-B|title=WTVJ Halts Construction Of Station: Venn Statement Defends Company|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041257/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvj-halts-construction/147203915/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --> It was the first time the FCC had revoked a television station permit.<ref>{{Cite news|page=25|title=Miami's TV Nix In 1st Revocation|id={{ProQuest|1285936758}} |work=Variety|date=August 4, 1948}}</ref>

A hearing was requested in mid-August, which legally required the revocation order to be stayed.{{r|BC480802}}<ref name="Miam480815">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-video-permit-hearing-as/147203230/|date=August 15, 1948|page=4-A|title=Video Permit Hearing Asked|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041309/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-video-permit-hearing-as/147203230/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> A request to go on the air in the interim was denied,<ref>{{Cite news|title=WTVJ (TV)'s Interim Plea Denied by FCC|date=October 11, 1948|page=62|work=Broadcasting|id={{ProQuest|1285667812}} }}</ref> and on October 25, the FCC opened three days of hearings in Miami.<ref name="Miam481016">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-fcc-to-study-wtvj-permi/147203329/|date=October 16, 1948|page=7-A|title=FCC To Study WTVJ Permit Here Oct. 25|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041305/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-fcc-to-study-wtvj-permi/147203329/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --><ref name="Miam481028">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvj-video-appeal-reserve/147204257/|date=October 28, 1948|page=5-B|first=Jack W.|last=Roberts|title=WTVJ Video Appeal Reserved By FCC|newspaper=Miami Daily News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041311/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvj-video-appeal-reserve/147204257/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --> At the hearings, Venn explained that Claughton had withdrawn his participation in the firm in March 1947, the same month it won the permit. He made this decision after stocks he owned lost value.<ref>{{cite news|page=26|title=Wolfson-Meyer Theatres in Bid To Solve WTVJ (Miami) Coin Troubles|date=November 3, 1948|work=Variety|id={{ProQuest|1285908684}} }}</ref> As a result, Venn held $193,500 in checks Claughton had put up to obtain a 32-percent stake in Southern Radio and Television Equipment. When Wometco agreed to buy Southern Radio, it advanced funds for station construction, and Wometco had become associated with Venn through its plan to build a new Miami radio station, [[WQBA|WMIE]] (1140 AM).<ref name="Miam481026">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-fcc-opens-probe-on-fina/147203423/|date=October 26, 1948|page=1-B|first=Bert|last=Collier|title=FCC Opens Probe On Finance Plan Of Station WTVJ|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041309/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-fcc-opens-probe-on-fina/147203423/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> FCC vice chairman [[Paul A. Walker (FCC chairman)|Paul A. Walker]], who had led the hearings,{{r|Miam481028}} issued an initial decision in January 1949 that recommended rescinding the revocation and approving WTVJ's sale to Wometco. Though he said that "neither Wometco nor Venn acted prudently in this matter", he found Wometco qualified to run the station and did not find that there was any deliberate concealment.<ref>{{Cite news|title=WTVJ(TV): Rescind Revocation Says Walker|date=January 10, 1949|page=63|work=Broadcasting|id={{ProQuest|1014897982}} }}</ref> The FCC approved on January 27, 1949, and granted authority to put interim station facilities on the air.<ref name="Miam490128">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvj-given-video-permit/147204407/|date=January 28, 1949|page=1-B|title=WTVJ Given Video Permit|newspaper=Miami Daily News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041258/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvj-given-video-permit/147204407/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->

===Early years of operation===
From an antenna atop the [[Everglades Hotel]], WTVJ sent out its first [[test pattern]] on February 21, 1949,<ref name="Miam490220">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-television-tests-begin-in/147204568/|date=February 20, 1949|page=5-A|title=Television Tests Begin In This Area Tomorrow|newspaper=Miami Daily News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041309/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-television-tests-begin-in/147204568/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> and on March 21, WTVJ began airing regular programs. It was the first television station in Florida and the 58th in the United States.<ref name="Miam490320">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-video-begins-here-tomorro/147204835/|date=March 20, 1949|page=1-C|first=William C.|last=Baggs|title=Video Begins Here Tomorrow Night On Station WTVJ|newspaper=Miami Sunday News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041302/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-video-begins-here-tomorro/147204835/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> Its original schedule called for at least two hours of programming, six nights a week;<ref name="Miam490322">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-thousands-see-video-deb/147205125/|date=March 22, 1949|page=3|title=Thousands See Video Debut Here|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041307/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-thousands-see-video-deb/147205125/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> the station was off the air on Tuesdays for the part-time engineers to repair equipment.<ref name="Miam650714">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-big-eye-that-foresaw-a-br/147209876/|date=July 14, 1965|pages=Wometco 8, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvjwometco/147209908/ 9], [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-a-long-list-of-firsts/147209942/ 10]|first=Agnes|last=Ash|title=Big Eye That Foresaw A Bright Picture|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 18, 2024|archive-date=May 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518065256/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-big-eye-that-foresaw-a-br/147209876/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed -->

National programming from all four networks—[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[CBS]], [[NBC]], and the [[DuMont Television Network]]<ref name="Miam500411">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-mayor-proclaims-televisio/147206873/|date=April 11, 1950|pages=3-B, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvj-has-birthday/147206945/ 4-B]|first=Fred|last=Clampitt|title=Mayor Proclaims Television Week: WTVJ Celebrates First Anniversary|newspaper=Miami Daily News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041308/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-mayor-proclaims-televisio/147206873/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->—exclusively came on film and [[kinescope]]s flown from New York, as Miami was not connected to the coaxial cable system used to transmit network television until June 30, 1952.<ref name="Miam520701">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-although-it-was-canned/147207573/|date=July 1, 1952|page=1-C|title=Although It Was 'Canned': Miami Sees Its First Network Video Show|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041310/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-although-it-was-canned/147207573/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> The station aired an array of local programs to complement network shows. Students at the [[University of Miami]] trained on WTVJ's equipment and produced a weekly Saturday night show.<ref name="Miam490703">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-live-shows-climax-work/147205223/|date=July 3, 1949|page=4-A|title='Live Shows' Climax Work Of TV Class|newspaper=Miami Sunday News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041304/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-live-shows-climax-work/147205223/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> On the quiz show ''Quick on the Draw'', Air Force recruiting personnel faced off against models.{{r|Miam501210}} Other local shows included the cooking series ''Holiday House''<ref name="Miam510327">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvj-celebrates-second-an/147206254/|date=March 27, 1951|page=1-C|first=Fred|last=Clampitt|title=WTVJ Celebrates Second Anniversary|newspaper=Miami Daily News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 18, 2024|archive-date=May 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518065253/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvj-celebrates-second-an/147206254/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> and the consumer program ''Shopper's Guide'',{{r|telefile}} as well as cartoons and country music.{{r|Miam780510}} Sports telecasts included [[Miami Hurricanes football]] in the [[1949 Miami Hurricanes football team|1949]] and [[1950 Miami Hurricanes football team|1950]] seasons—before the university revoked permission, fearing telecasts would hurt attendance<ref name="Miam560729">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-south-floridians-got-th/147208766/|date=July 29, 1956|title=South Floridians Got Their First TV Service In 1949: WTVJ Was First Station To Go Into Operation Here|page=11-H|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041301/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-south-floridians-got-th/147208766/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->—as well as the [[Orange Bowl]], roller derby, horse racing, golf, and [[jai alai]].{{r|Miam500411}}<ref name="telefile">{{Cite news|title=WTVJ (TV) Miami Finds Showmanship and Public Service Make a Successful Combination|work=Broadcasting|date=May 22, 1950|pages=A8, A9|id={{ProQuest|1401180565}} }}</ref> Old movies also featured; Alec Gibson, faced with a meager inventory of films available to television, hosted what he called "The P.U. Club".<ref name="Miam780510">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tv-got-a-slow-start-in/147210712/|date=May 10, 1978|pages=1D, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-local-tv-began-with-2-h/147210808/ 3D]|first=Jack E.|last=Anderson|title=TV Got a Slow Start in Miami|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 18, 2024|archive-date=May 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518065255/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tv-got-a-slow-start-in/147210712/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> In December 1950, the station was on the air for 12 hours each day, with just under half of its output consisting of network shows.<ref name="Miam501210">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-radio-video-gives-miamian/147207096/|date=December 10, 1950|page=12-F|title=Radio-Video Gives Miamians Varied Selection Of Programs|newspaper=Miami Sunday News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041259/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-radio-video-gives-miamian/147207096/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->
[[File:WTVJ TV mobile truck 1950.jpg|right|thumb|WTVJ's [[outside broadcast|remote broadcast]] van at the offices of ''The Miami Herald'' in 1950|alt=A converted bus is parked outside the Miami Herald offices, cables run from a second story to inside the van. The van is emblazoned with the legends "Wometco's Theatre of the Air", "WTVJ Channel 4 Television", "Stop Look Listen", and partially visible is one listing network affiliations including CBS, ABC, and NBC (not visible: DuMont)]]
WTVJ's first news effort consisted of a collaboration with ''[[The Miami Herald]]'' and the ''Herald'' radio station [[WQAM]], ''Televiews of the News'', which debuted as a weekly program on December 11, 1949. ''The Herald''{{'s}} photographers and WQAM announcers produced and presented the program.<ref name="Miam491211">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-televiews-of-news-mak/147206152/|date=December 11, 1949|page=1-G|title='Televiews Of News' Makes Bow Tonight|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041308/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-televiews-of-news-mak/147206152/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->{{r|Miam560729}} The liaison between WTVJ and ''The Herald'' was [[Ralph Renick]], a recent graduate of the University of Miami.<ref name="Miam491218">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-whats-new-at-the-u-um/147280429/|date=December 18, 1949|page=12-B|first=Charles|last=Noland|title=What's New At The U: UM Starts Vacation Tuesday; Back Jan. 4|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041312/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-whats-new-at-the-u-um/147280429/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> On July 16, 1950, amid the backdrop of the [[Korean War]], WTVJ started producing its own local newscasts, with Renick as the anchor.<ref name="Miam700712">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-and-may-the-good-news/147604031/|date=July 12, 1970|page=TV Preview 3|first=Jim|last=Meyer|title='And May the Good News Be Yours'|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 18, 2024|archive-date=May 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518065253/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-and-may-the-good-news/147604031/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> With limited resources and day-old film, Renick slowly began to build up the operation as well as a library of magazine clippings to illustrate news stories.<ref name="Miam730311">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-renick-in-the-rest-room/147210025/|date=March 11, 1973|pages=Magazine 33, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-renick-34/147210214/ 34], [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-renick-35/147210258/ 35], [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-renick-36/147210368/ 36]|first=John|last=Dorschner|title=Renick in the Rest Room, Diapers in the Refrigerator|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 12, 2024|archive-date=May 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518065252/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-renick-in-the-rest-room/147210025/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->

Another charter WTVJ employee was weatherman [[Bob Weaver (weatherman)|Bob Weaver]]. He worked at the station for 20 years before leaving for a three-year stint at two stations in the Northeast, [[WCBS-TV]] in New York and [[WHDH-TV (channel 5)|WHDH-TV]] in Boston, returning to Miami and WTVJ in 1972.<ref name="Miam720318">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-sunny-days-are-ahead-f/148067977/|date=March 18, 1972|page=4B|first=Jack E.|last=Anderson|title=Sunny Days Are Ahead, Folks; Weaver the Weatherman Back|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011531/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-sunny-days-are-ahead-f/148067977/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --> One of the first forecasters to be certified by the [[American Meteorological Society]], Weaver was also a [[Ventriloquism|ventriloquist]], often delivering light jokes alongside weather reports with [[puppet]] sidekick "Weavie the Weatherbird".<ref name="MiamiH20060619p1">{{Cite news |last1=Merzer |first1=Martin |last2=Teproff |first2=Carli |date=June 19, 2006 |title=Bob Weaver: funny style, sunny spirit |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-bob-weaver-funny-style/148153590/ |access-date=May 27, 2024 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |pages=A1–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-bob-weaver-funny-style/148153602/ A2] |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062252/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-bob-weaver-funny-style/148153590/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 1952, WTVJ opened a three-story studio facility, connected to the existing facility, in what had been the Capitol Theatre. The conversion of the Capitol for television use included a {{convert|68|by|100|ft|m|adj=on}} main stage and was designed to allow the station to originate national television programs for wintering hosts.<ref>{{Cite news|page=41|date=October 29, 1952|work=Variety|title=Miami WTVJ's Bid As Origination Point For Winter-Berthed Stars|id={{ProQuest|1032342348}} }}</ref>

===After the freeze===
By surviving its revocation hearing and getting on the air, WTVJ assured itself of being South Florida's only TV station for several years. In October 1948, the FCC started [[Freeze of 1948|a years-long freeze]] on new television station permits, with WTVJ being the only one it had awarded in Miami.<ref name="Miam481001">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-fcc-act-freezes-televis/147204182/|date=October 1, 1948|page=10-A|agency=Associated Press|title=FCC Act Freezes Television Grants: All Pending Applications For New Stations Delayed|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|archive-date=May 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513041303/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-fcc-act-freezes-televis/147204182/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> Had WTVJ not gone on air, [[South Florida]] would have gone without television for years like [[Denver]] or [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], neither of which had pre-freeze stations in operation.<ref name="Miam540321">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-miami-got-television-fi/147209533/|date=March 21, 1954|page=Fun in Florida 9|title=Miami Got Television Five Years Ago Today|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519045119/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-miami-got-television-fi/147209533/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> In a 1974 retrospective on early Miami TV, Jack E. Anderson of ''The Miami Herald'' noted that the head-start WTVJ had received on its competition "in many ways has persisted to this day".<ref name="Miam740616">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-miami-tv-in-the-beginn/147210443/|date=June 16, 1974|pages=TV Preview 3, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-early-tv-days-full-of-i/147210622/ 25]|first=Jack E.|last=Anderson|title=Miami TV: In the Beginning|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 20, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062253/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-miami-tv-in-the-beginn/147210443/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->
[[File:WTVJ news crew.jpg|alt=Three men standing with a WTVJ film camera|A WTVJ news crew in the 1950s|right|thumb]]
The freeze was lifted in 1952.<ref name="BC520415">{{Cite news|date=April 15, 1952|title=Thaw July 1: 617 VHFs, 1436 UHFs in 1291 Markets; Educators Win|work=Broadcasting|pages=23, 67–68|id={{ProQuest|1285696665}} }}</ref> Television competition came to South Florida first on two stations in the [[ultra high frequency]] (UHF) band, originally licensed to [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale]]. [[WGBS-TV|WFTL-TV]] (channel 23), the first post-freeze TV outlet in the state,<ref name="Miam530510">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95255839/they-made-it-in-record-time-wftl-tv-sta/|date=May 10, 1953|page=1 BR, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95255997/ 22 BR]|title=They Made It in Record Time: WFTL-TV Staff Had Better Forget Earlier Headaches|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 18, 2022|archive-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611042105/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95255839/they-made-it-in-record-time-wftl-tv/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --><ref name="Tamp530531">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95255217/west-coast-debut-for-video-oh-happy-day/|date=May 31, 1953|page=1-B|title=West Coast Debut for Video: Oh Happy Day! TV Today|newspaper=Tampa Bay Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 18, 2022|archive-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611042105/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95255217/west-coast-debut-for-video-oh-happy/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> started on May 5, 1953,<ref name="Fort530505">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95253538/wftl-tv-begins-telecasts-today/|date=May 5, 1953|page=1|title=WFTL-TV Begins Telecasts Today|newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 18, 2022|archive-date=February 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220218040814/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95253538/wftl-tv-begins-telecasts-today/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> as an outlet for previously unseen NBC programs; some NBC output remained on WTVJ.<ref>{{cite news|page=5|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Digest/50s/Television-Digest-1953-Q2.pdf#page=113|title=Telecasting Notes|work=Television Digest|via=World Radio History|date=May 16, 1953|access-date=February 18, 2022|archive-date=February 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220218040824/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Digest/50s/Television-Digest-1953-Q2.pdf#page=113|url-status=live}}</ref> The other Fort Lauderdale station, [[WITV (Florida)|WITV]] on channel 17, started on December 1, 1953;<ref name="Fort531201">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95001864/new-television-station-takes-to-air-toni/|date=December 1, 1953|page=1B|title=New Television Station Takes To Air Tonight|newspaper=Fort Lauderdale Daily News|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 15, 2022}}</ref><!-- Tue --> it had a similar secondary arrangement with ABC and DuMont, though WTVJ retained first call rights to their programs.<ref name="Fort531108">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95001848/abc-tv-announces-witv-affiliation/|date=November 8, 1953|page=20|title=ABC-TV Announces WITV Affiliation|newspaper=Fort Lauderdale Daily News|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=February 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215201732/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95001848/abc-tv-announces-witv-affiliation/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QfIuAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22WITV%22+%22Fort+Lauderdale%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA411|date=1954|pages=411–414|title=Statement of Mortimer W. Loewi|work=Status of UHF and Multiple Ownership of TV Stations|publisher=Senate Commerce Committee|access-date=February 15, 2022|archive-date=February 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215201725/https://books.google.com/books?id=QfIuAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA411&lpg=PA411&dq=%22WITV%22+%22Fort+Lauderdale%22+-wikipedia&source=bl&ots=O2k2AHSxeF&sig=ACfU3U2B8Wqb73DWIoS7D6sdrbQz-h9YNQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiDv9ezwoL2AhXDH0QIHY35A-EQ6AF6BAgZEAM#v=onepage&q=%22WITV%22%20%22Fort%20Lauderdale%22%20-wikipedia&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> These stations started while Miami's two additional commercial VHF channels, 7 and 10, were tied up in [[comparative hearing]] processes with multiple applicants seeking them.<ref name="Miam531126">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-haber-withdraws-bid-for/48300242/|date=November 26, 1953|page=8-A|title=Haber Withdraws Bid For TV Channel 10|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519045117/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-haber-withdraws-bid-for/48300242/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->{{efn|Channel 6 was not formally inserted at Miami until 1959.<ref name="Miam590130">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121659420/channel-6-now-open-for-bidding/|date=January 30, 1959|page=2-A|title=Channel 6 Now Open For Bidding|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 27, 2023|archive-date=March 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327023855/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121659420/channel-6-now-open-for-bidding/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->}}

Over the course of 1954, channel 4 upgraded its facilities. On May 17, 1954, it ceased broadcasting from the Everglades antenna and moved to a new facility in [[Hallandale, Florida|Hallandale]] on the [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Dade]]–[[Broward County, Florida|Broward]] county line. With the move came an upgrade to the maximum [[effective radiated power]] permitted on channel 4, 100,000 watts.<ref name="Miam540516">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-new-facilities-add-to-pow/147604927/|date=May 16, 1954|page=Amusements 15|title=New Facilities Add To Power of WTVJ|newspaper=Miami Daily News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519045115/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-new-facilities-add-to-pow/147604927/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> The land was sold to Wolfson by Sidney Ansin,{{r|MiamiH19870525p49}} who co-founded [[Sunbeam Television]] with sons Ron and [[Edmund Ansin|Edmund]] to pursue a license for channel 7.<ref name="Miam531216">{{Cite news |date=December 16, 1953 |title='Television City' Eyed By Channel 7 Applicant |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94636504/television-city-eyed-by-channel-7/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210225357/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94636504/television-city-eyed-by-channel-7/ |archive-date=February 10, 2022 |access-date=February 10, 2022 |newspaper=Miami Daily News |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> During construction of the new tower, a steeplejack fell {{convert|400|ft|m}} to his death.<ref name="Miam540127">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-steeplejack-falls-400-f/147605683/|date=January 27, 1954|page=1-A|title=Steeplejack Falls 400 Ft. To His Death|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519045116/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-steeplejack-falls-400-f/147605683/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> In September, the station aired the first color television broadcast in the area, the NBC special ''[[Satins and Spurs]]''.<ref name="Miam540919">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-commercials-slow-satin/147209215/|date=September 19, 1954|page=57|title=Commercials Slow 'Satins And Spurs'|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519045118/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-commercials-slow-satin/147209215/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> WTVJ discarded its NBC shows that November to become an exclusive affiliate of CBS, leaving NBC's programs to air on WFTL-TV and [[WPTV-TV|WJNO-TV]] in [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]].<ref name="Miam540926">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-new-time-network-shift/147208542/|date=September 26, 1954|page=1-A|title=New Time, Network Shift: Miami Must Change TV Viewing Habits|newspaper=Miami Daily News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 18, 2024|archive-date=May 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518065255/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-new-time-network-shift/147208542/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->

The early UHF stations were supplanted by VHF outlets: [[WSVN|WCKT-TV]] started in July 1956 on channel 7,<ref name="Miam560728">{{Cite news|last=Anderson|first=Jack|date=July 28, 1956|title=Incomplete WCKT Is Impressive|page=20B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94898498/incomplete-wckt-is-impressive/|access-date=February 13, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213214247/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94898498/incomplete-wckt-is-impressive/|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[WPST-TV]] debuted in August 1957 on channel 10.<ref name="MiamiN19570802p11">{{Cite news |date=August 2, 1957 |title=WPST Begins Broadcasting |page=1A |newspaper=Miami Daily News |location=Miami, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103659387/wpst-begins-broadcasting/ |access-date=June 13, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=June 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614235827/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103659387/wpst-begins-broadcasting/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Efn|WPST-TV ceased operations on November 19, 1961, after its broadcast license was revoked by the FCC;<ref name="Miam611118">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95858637/george-t-baker-to-say-farewell-to/|date=November 18, 1961|page=15-A|first=Jack E.|last=Anderson|title=George T. Baker to Say Farewell to 'Old' 10|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 24, 2022|archive-date=February 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224052904/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95858637/george-t-baker-to-say-farewell-to/|url-status=live}}</ref> WLBW-TV signed on over channel 10 the next day as an unrelated station, hiring some former WPST personnel.<ref name="MiamiN19611011p19">{{Cite news |date=October 11, 1961 |title=Some New Faces To Shine On Ch. 10 |page=5B |newspaper=[[The Miami News]] |location=Miami, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81947237/banjobillyjoins10miaminewswedoct11-61/ |access-date=June 14, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=June 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614235922/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81947237/banjobillyjoins10miaminewswedoct11-61/ |url-status=live }}</ref> WCKT's license was also revoked the following year, but all assets and programming were sold to Sunbeam Television and all staff were retained.<ref name="Miam760731">{{Cite news|last=Anderson|first=Jack|date=July 31, 1976|title=Happy Birthday, Ch. 7; It's Been Twenty Years|page=4B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94946943/happy-birthday-ch-7-its-been/|access-date=February 14, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214231849/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94946943/happy-birthday-ch-7-its-been/|url-status=live}}</ref>}} With more intense ratings competition from the new stations and increased network offerings from CBS, the "friendly, disjointed" local programming on WTVJ waned.{{r|Miam730311}} Renick instituted the nation's first regular TV editorials{{r|Miam990321}} in 1957, focusing on local and state issues; ratings for the already popular ''Ralph Renick Reporting'' doubled.<ref name="Hart580309">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-tv-station-with-opinion/147218479/|date=March 9, 1958|page=TV Week 7|first=John|last=Crosby|agency=New York Herald-Tribune|title=TV Station With Opinions Creates A Stir In Miami|newspaper=Hartford Courant|location=Hartford, Connecticut|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 20, 2024|archive-date=May 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520075335/https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-tv-station-with-opinion/147218479/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> The WTVJ news department, led by Renick, gained local and international stature. In 1956, Renick mediated racial tensions in [[Delray Beach, Florida|Delray Beach]] at the request of the mayor, who credited him as the sole reason the situation was resolved.{{r|Miam700712}} The next year, he embarked on a 10-day, {{convert|17500|mi|km|adj=on}} tour through Europe and North Africa, filming footage and conducting interviews.<ref>{{Cite news|page=114|title=Renick Reports from Africa|work=Broadcasting|id={{ProQuest|1040353157}}|date=September 12, 1955}}</ref>

In 1956, [[Chuck Zink]] joined the station from [[WCMB-TV]] in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]].<ref name="Miam560918">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-zink-joins-wtvj/147663488/|date=September 18, 1956|page=10B|title=Zink Joins WTVJ|newspaper=Miami Daily News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 20, 2024|archive-date=May 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520075334/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-zink-joins-wtvj/147663488/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> The station had purchased a package of [[Popeye]] cartoons, which Zink began to host as ''[[Popeye Playhouse]]''.<ref name="MiamH790104">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ch-4-chucks-skipper-af/147728564/|date=January 4, 1979|page=1D|first=Jack E.|last=Anderson|title=Ch. 4 Chucks Skipper After 22 Years: CBS Morning News Bumps Kids' Show|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 20, 2024|archive-date=May 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520075333/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ch-4-chucks-skipper-af/147728564/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --> Later retitled ''The Skipper Chuck Show'',{{r|MiamH790104}} the program enjoyed substantial popularity for years. A waiting list to be in its studio audience was two years long at its height.<ref name="Miam060105">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-chuck-zink-19252006-t/147728931/|date=January 5, 2006|pages=1A, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-skipper-chuck-started-a/147663649/ 2A]|first=Robert L.|last=Steinback|title=Chuck Zink 1925–2006: TV's Skipper Chuck gave kids lots of peace, love, happiness|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 20, 2024|archive-date=May 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520080634/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-chuck-zink-19252006-t/147728931/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --> Zink was the first local children's show host to racially integrate his program, with Wolfson's support;{{r|Miam990321|Miam060105}} the sponsor, the hamburger restaurant [[Royal Castle (restaurant chain)|Royal Castle]],{{r|aye}} pulled out and was replaced with the little-known [[Burger King]] chain.<ref name="Miam060117">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-memorial-service-frien/147663537/|date=January 17, 2006|page=3B|first=Nirvi|last=Shah|title=Memorial service: Friends recall 'Skipper Chuck' Zink|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 20, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523025532/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-memorial-service-frien/147663537/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> In addition to ''Skipper Chuck'', Zink was a movie host and pageant announcer for WTVJ.<ref name="Miam990321-Chuck">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-skipper-chucks-fans-sa/142425689/|date=March 21, 1999|page=12I|title=Skipper Chuck's fans say he still floats their boat|first=Terry|last=Jackson|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 20, 2024|archive-date=May 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520075335/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-skipper-chucks-fans-sa/142425689/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --><ref name="Miam990321">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-when-tv-had-vision/142425707/|date=March 21, 1999|pages=1I, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tv-50-years-ago-gray/142425675/ 12I], [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-digital-bringing-next-e/142425633/ 13I]|first=Terry|last=Jackson|title=When TV Had Vision|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 20, 2024|archive-date=May 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520100150/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-when-tv-had-vision/142425707/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->

===Dominating Miami news ratings===
WTVJ responded in the 1960s to changing demographics and needs in Miami. In 1960, [[Manolo Reyes]] approached Wolfson and Renick with a suggestion to start a regular Spanish-language newscast. The concept was greenlit, and the station debuted ''News en Español'' on weekday mornings on August 28, 1960. While it met with strong negative reaction from some viewers, Wolfson defended Reyes, who was later named Latin news editor.{{r|Miam990321}} The newscast provided information for the Cuban exiles fleeing the country after the 1959 [[Cuban Revolution]].{{r|Miam080104}} The daily Spanish-language newscasts continued until 1971, when Reyes shifted to hosting a new weekly news review in Spanish, ''The Manolo Reyes Report'';<ref name="Fort710507">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/fort-lauderdale-news-wtvj-plans-spanish/148060582/|date=May 7, 1971|page=18F|title=WTVJ Plans Spanish Weekly News Review|newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062254/https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-lauderdale-news-wtvj-plans-spanish/148060582/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> Reyes remained with WTVJ until 1979.<ref name="Miam080104">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-manolo-reyes-19242008/148060887/|date=January 4, 2008|pages=1B, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-spanish-language-news-p/148060978/ 5B]|first=Luisa|last=Yanez|title=Manolo Reyes 1924–2008: Emmy-winning Spanish-language news pioneer dies|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525204839/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-manolo-reyes-19242008/148060887/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> [[Jane Chastain]] joined WTVJ in 1967 as one of the nation's first female sportscasters and received more substantial assignments than at prior jobs in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]], and [[Atlanta]]; she remained with the station before leaving for a network job in 1976.{{r|Miam990321}} After [[1968 Miami riot|riots erupted]] in Miami's Black-majority [[Liberty City (Miami)|Liberty City]] neighborhood, Renick hired WTVJ's first Black reporter, C. T. Taylor, in 1968.{{r|Miam990321}} For much of this time, Ruth Sperling was considered Renick's "right arm", overseeing the newsroom and being responsible for spotting and hiring young talent that went on to local and national prominence. Starting in 1953 as a secretary, she was assistant news director when she exited WTVJ in 1983.<ref name="Miam961006">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ruth-sperling-driving/148109072/|date=October 6, 1996|page=4B|first=Geoffrey|last=Tomb|title=Ruth Sperling, driving force for WTVJ, Ralph Renick|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062254/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ruth-sperling-driving/148109072/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->

The ''Ralph Renick Report'' was lengthened from 15 to 30 minutes in 1965.{{r|Miam700712}} By that year, the station had 30 employees in news and bureaus in [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale]] and [[Tallahassee]].{{r|Miam650714}} That year, the station's ''News Weekend'' newscasts debuted a new staff member: interviewer [[Larry King]], who also hosted a late-night talk show known as ''Nightcap''.<ref>{{cite news|page=38|title=King's New Miami Show|work=Variety|date=November 3, 1965|id={{ProQuest|1014831387}} }}</ref> King remained on air at WTVJ until December 1971, after he was charged with [[grand larceny]]; the charges were dropped, but WTVJ dismissed him in March 1972.<ref name="Miam720314">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-larry-king-loses-9-year-r/148062036/|date=March 14, 1972|page=5A|title=Larry King loses 9-year radio job|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526030334/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-larry-king-loses-9-year-r/148062036/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> WTVJ won the [[Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award]] for 1972 for two WTVJ documentaries—''A Seed of Hope'', on drug addiction, and ''The Swift Justice of Europe'', a comparative look at criminal justice in Europe and Florida.<ref name="Miam730118">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ancient-treasures-of-ch/148051759/|date=January 18, 1973|page=9-D|first=Jack E.|last=Anderson|title=Ancient Treasures of China Make a Lavish TV Spectacle|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193946/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ancient-treasures-of-ch/148051759/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --> As WTVJ matured, it became Wometco's principal cash cow, per Louis Wolfson III, Mitchell Wolfson's grandson.{{r|Miam990321}}

''Skipper Chuck'' continued through most of the 1970s, though as CBS began to make a stronger push into mornings, WTVJ's choice to air the children's show and not the ''[[CBS Morning News]]'' became a source of tension with the network. CBS chairman [[William S. Paley]], who wintered on [[Cat Cay]] in the Bahamas, was known to be displeased that he could not see his own network's morning show. At Paley's insistence, WTVJ aired the ''Morning News'' for one week, coinciding with the [[1968 Republican National Convention]] held in [[Miami Beach, Florida|Miami Beach]].<ref name="aye">{{Cite news |last=Weinstein |first=Joshua L. |date=December 26, 1990 |title=Aye, Skipper! |url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/aye-skipper-6365145 |access-date=May 27, 2024 |work=Miami New Times |language=en |archive-date=March 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322020550/http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/aye-skipper-6365145 |url-status=live }}</ref> Later, Paley persuaded [[WFOR-TV|WCIX-TV]] (channel 6), Miami's [[independent station]], to air the program.{{r|MiamH790104}} Viewership for ''Skipper Chuck'' declined over the latter half of the decade, the show stopped making a profit, and parents became more critical of children's television programming.{{r|MiamN790104}} In 1978, the studio audience was changed to one a week.{{r|MiamH790104}} In January 1979, ''Skipper Chuck'' changed to a weekly show on Saturday mornings, bringing the ''CBS Morning News'' to WTVJ.<ref name="MiamN790104">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-zink-to-host-half-hour-sa/147728552/|date=January 4, 1979|page=9B|first=Sherry|last=Woods|title=Zink to host half-hour Saturday TV program instead: Daily 'Skipper Chuck' show cut after 23 years|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 20, 2024|archive-date=May 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520075337/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-zink-to-host-half-hour-sa/147728552/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->
{{Quote box
| quote = Too often stations with consultants end up trying to present news only as the research results suggest the people want. But lost in this concept is that a professional journalist should have the ability and news judgment to determine what is important and significant.
| author = Ralph Renick
| source = on news consultants in a 1973 survey{{r|newscasters}}
| width = 300px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}
In spite of WTVJ's news ratings success, Renick shunned the consultant-driven, softer news formats that became popular in the 1970s and early 1980s. He called [[Frank Magid|Frank Magid & Associates]] a "Trojan horse" that permitted non-news management to control the news department. He rejected recommendations it had made to WTVJ, including instituting a co-anchor format for the early and late newscasts, replacing the weatherman, de-emphasizing Broward County news, and airing more, shorter stories.<ref name="newscasters">{{Cite book |last=Powers |first=Ron |title=The newscasters |date=1977 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |isbn=978-0-312-57207-5 |pages=88–91, 103|location=New York}}</ref> On one occasion, he refused to attend a meeting with a news consultant that management hired because he had passed over one of its employees for a job at WTVJ, and he refused to take advice from someone he had rejected hiring himself.{{r|Miam990321}} In a 1977 interview with Larry King for ''[[The Miami News]]'', he denounced consultant-driven newscasters who favored aesthetics over journalism.<ref name="Miam771011">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-the-larry-king-interview/147604209/|date=October 11, 1977|page=11A|first=Larry|last=King|author-link=Larry King|title=The Larry King interview: Ralph Renick evaluates the other newscasters|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062254/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-the-larry-king-interview/147604209/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->

===Death of Mitchell Wolfson and resignation of Renick===
[[File:Mitchell Wolfson.jpg|thumb|Mitchell Wolfson, {{Circa|1980}}|alt=Refer to caption]]
Wolfson died of a heart attack on January 28, 1983,<ref name="MiamiH19830129p1">{{Cite news|date=January 29, 1983|title=Mitchell Wolfson, 82, dies of a heart attack|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75390411/mitchell-wolfson-82-dies-of-a-heart/ 17A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75390403/mitchell-wolfson-82-dies-of-a-heart/|access-date=April 8, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163749/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75390403/mitchell-wolfson-82-dies-of-a-heart/|url-status=live}}</ref> which came after two heart attacks the previous February<ref name="MiamiN19820426p38">{{Cite news|last=Splichal|first=Tom|date=April 26, 1982|title=Wometco sees turnaround in TV operation|page=2|newspaper=The Miami News Money|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75395549/wometco-sees-turnaround-in-tv-operation/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163752/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75395549/wometco-sees-turnaround-in-tv-operation/|url-status=live}}</ref> that had fueled concern among financial circles about Wometco's financial health.<ref name="MiamiH19820503p90">{{Cite news|last=Davis|first=Dick|date=May 3, 1982|title=Kroger Co. has tenants and analyst's praise|page=32|newspaper=The Miami Herald Business/Monday|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75395325/kroger-co-has-tenants-and-analysts/|access-date=April 8, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163758/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75395325/kroger-co-has-tenants-and-analysts/|url-status=live}}</ref> Contrary to Wolfson's prior insistence of a plan so Wometco could never be taken over or sold off,<ref name="MiamiH19830922p407">{{Cite news|last=Merzer|first=Martin|date=September 22, 1983|title=Wometco price tag is $1 billion|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396555/wometco-price-tag-is-1-billion-p2/ 3A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396502/wometco-price-tag-is-1-billion/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396502/wometco-price-tag-is-1-billion/|url-status=live}}</ref> no such [[succession plan]] was found or mentioned in his [[Will and testament|will]].<ref name="MiamiN19830204p6">{{Cite news|last=Lyons|first=David|date=February 4, 1983|title=Wometco board names new officers; Wolfson ignored succession in his will|page=6A|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75392539/wometco-board-names-new-officers/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163751/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75392539/wometco-board-names-new-officers/|url-status=live}}</ref> No one was designated as a succeeding chairman<ref name="MiamiH19830201p88">{{Cite news|last=Dickerson|first=Brian|date=February 1, 1983|title=Wometco stock peaks on talk of sale|pages=8D–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75393261/wometco-stock-peaks-on-talk-of-sale-p2/ 9D]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75393195/wometco-stock-peaks-on-talk-of-sale/|access-date=April 8, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163751/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75393195/wometco-stock-peaks-on-talk-of-sale/|url-status=live}}</ref> and Wolfson was the largest [[stockholder]] in Wometco at the time of his death.<ref name="MiamiH19830426p141">{{Cite news|last=Merzer|first=Martin|date=April 26, 1983|title=Wometco raises its defenses|pages=7D–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396239/wometco-raises-its-defenses-p2/ 8D]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396217/wometco-raises-its-defenses/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163757/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396217/wometco-raises-its-defenses/|url-status=live}}</ref> Some believed Wolfson intended to have his family decide the company's future, while others felt his "secret plan" was simply never to leave.<ref name="MiamiH19830206p93">{{Cite news|last=Merzer|first=Martin|date=February 6, 1983|title=The Colonel's plan|pages=1F, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75395881/the-colonels-plan-p2/ 6F]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75395859/the-colonels-plan/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163755/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75395859/the-colonels-plan/|url-status=live}}</ref>

After approving several measures in a [[Annual general meeting|shareholders meeting]] designed to prevent a [[Takeover|hostile takeover]],{{r|MiamiH19830426p141}} the Wolfson family and Wometco board sold the company to a [[merchant bank]]er, [[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.]] (KKR), on September 21, 1983, in a $1&nbsp;billion [[leveraged buyout]].{{r|MiamiH19830922p407}} At the time, it was the largest corporate transaction in Florida history<ref name="MiamiN19830922p1">{{Cite news|last=Sigale|first=Merwin|date=September 22, 1983|title=Wometco suitor: No shake-up planned|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396764/wometco-suitor-no-shake-up-planned-p2/ 8A]|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396745/wometco-suitor-no-shake-up-planned/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163751/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75396745/wometco-suitor-no-shake-up-planned/|url-status=live}}</ref> and a record for a leveraged buyout.<ref name="MiamiN19830924p1">{{Cite news|last=Sigale|first=Merwin|date=September 24, 1983|title=Proposed buyer of Wometco is a private giant|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75397380/proposed-buyer-of-wometco-is-a-private/ 4A]|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75397329/proposed-buyer-of-wometco-is-a-private/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163752/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75397329/proposed-buyer-of-wometco-is-a-private/|url-status=live}}</ref> While Wometco still existed after the buyout was completed on April 13, 1984, the company was taken private and split into two entities:<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sigale|first=Merwin|date=April 13, 1984|title=Wometco now in private hands; will sell units but not Seaquarium|page=8A|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75408503/wometco-now-in-private-hands-will-sell/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331185520/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75408503/wometco-now-in-private-hands-will-sell/|url-status=live}}</ref> one based around the television station licenses and [[Wometco Home Theater]] and the other centered around the theater chain, [[Miami Seaquarium]], [[Bottling company|bottling]], and [[cable television]] divisions.<ref name="MiamiH19840312p105">{{Cite news|last=Birger|first=Larry|date=March 12, 1984|title=New Wometco to sell its theaters|page=5|newspaper=The Miami Herald Business/Monday|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75408637/new-wometco-to-sell-its-theaters/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331185529/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75408637/new-wometco-to-sell-its-theaters/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Russell|first=James|date=March 15, 1984|title=Wometco buyout breaks up an institution|page=14C|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75408556/wometco-buyout-breaks-up-an-institution/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331185533/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75408556/wometco-buyout-breaks-up-an-institution/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Wolfson's death marked the end of an era for WTVJ and especially Renick, who eulogized him as "more than just an employer—he was the father I didn't have, the guiding light of my professional life as one as well as my personal one".<ref name="Miam830201">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-last-tribute-wolfson-hon/147211382/|date=February 1, 1983|page=5A|title=Last tribute: Wolfson honored as visionary leader|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 18, 2024|archive-date=May 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518055029/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-last-tribute-wolfson-hon/147211382/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> In November 1984, for the first time since Renick became news anchor in July 1950, WTVJ failed to have the number-one evening newscast in total viewers; it had been surpassed by [[WPLG-TV]]'s ''Eyewitness News'', which years earlier had overtaken channel 4 among younger demographics.<ref name="MiamiH19850212p1D">{{Cite news|last=Sonsky|first=Steve|date=February 12, 1985|title=Are we seeing the end of the Renick reign?|pages=1D–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-are-we-seeing-the-end-o/122864363/ 2D]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-are-we-seeing-the-end-o/122864288/|access-date=April 14, 2023|archive-date=April 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414201809/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-are-we-seeing-the-end-o/122864288/|url-status=live}}</ref> This prompted the station to begin searching for a new 11 p.m. news anchor, with the goal of bringing in younger viewers and the expectation that they would someday replace Renick at 6 p.m. That search ended at the start of April 1985 with the hiring of [[John Hambrick]] from [[WNBC|WNBC-TV]] in New York City. Soon after came an announcement that Renick was pondering his own future. On April 10, 1985, Renick announced his immediate resignation from WTVJ on air, ending a nearly 35-year run and sparking speculation about a run for governor.<ref name="MiamiH19850411p1">{{Cite news|last=Sonsky|first=Steve|date=April 11, 1985|title=Ralph Renick resigns after 35 years on TV|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ralph-renick-resigns-af/122853390/ 20A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ralph-renick-resigns-af/122853362/|access-date=April 14, 2023|archive-date=April 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414201810/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ralph-renick-resigns-af/122853362/|url-status=live}}</ref>

During this time, [[Katie Couric]] joined WTVJ as a general-assignment reporter in 1984 after a temporary job at [[CNN]] failed to translate into a full-time opportunity.{{r|Stua900822}} Couric saw Miami as a good news market and WTVJ as a station with a good reputation.{{r|Miam990321}} In one instance, Couric slept on the streets for a night for a story about homelessness. However, news director Al Buck refused to use her as an anchor, even in an emergency, feeling she was not good enough.<ref name="Sout060406">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-courics-star/148077004/|date=April 6, 2006|pages=1B, [https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-co-workers-sa/148076971/ 4B]|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=Couric's star started its rise in S. Florida: Today show celebrity began on-camera career as a reporter for WTVJ|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062254/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-courics-star/148077004/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --> Couric departed WTVJ for NBC-owned [[WRC-TV]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], in 1986;<ref name="Stua900822">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-stuart-news-katie-couric-may-be-tod/147789818/|date=August 22, 1990|page=D1|first=Barbara|last=Matusow|agency=The Washingtonian|title=Katie Couric may be 'Today's' next Jane Pauley|newspaper=The Stuart News|location=Stuart, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011527/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-stuart-news-katie-couric-may-be-tod/147789818/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> she later went on to anchor ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]'' and the ''[[CBS Evening News]]''.{{r|Sout060406}}

==Attempted sale to Lorimar==
In late April 1985, KKR acquired [[Storer Communications]] in another leveraged buyout engineered to thwart a liquidation of that company by dissatisfied shareholders<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lyons|first=David|date=April 29, 1985|title=Storer shareholders wait for the best offer|page=7|newspaper=The Miami Herald Business/Monday|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75431827/storer-shareholders-wait-for-the-best/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=February 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219055450/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75431827/storer-shareholders-wait-for-the-best/|url-status=live}}</ref> and to prevent a hostile takeover by [[Comcast]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Stevenson|first=Richard W.|date=July 10, 1985|title=Storer chairman optimistic over buyout of the company|page=8A|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75431891/storer-chairman-optimistic-over-buyout/|access-date=April 9, 2021}}</ref> Completed in December 1985, approval by the FCC was contingent on KKR divesting either Storer's cable systems in Miami and Wometco's cable systems in Atlanta, or WTVJ and Storer's [[WAGA-TV]], within 18 months to satisfy cross-ownership rules. While Storer and Wometco remained nominally separate companies, the FCC recognized KKR as the primary owner of both.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 6, 1985|title=Storer Communications now part of SCI Holdings|page=10A|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75431657/storer-communications-now-part-of-sci/|access-date=April 9, 2021|archive-date=February 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219055454/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75431657/storer-communications-now-part-of-sci/|url-status=live}}</ref> By April 25, 1986, KKR opted to retain the Storer cable system and put WTVJ on the market with a deadline of May 1, 1987.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Martin|first1=Mary|last2=Jicha|first2=Tom|date=April 28, 1986|title=Channel 4: Wometco cites FCC divestiture rules|page=1A|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75507694/channel-4-wometco-cites-fcc/|access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012857/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75507694/channel-4-wometco-cites-fcc/|url-status=live}}</ref> Wometco's cable systems were also divested.{{r|MiamiN19861023p8}}

{{Quote box
| quote = I wonder if I have to wear cowboy boots to work now... I was totally surprised. I never heard the name Lorimar mentioned around the station. I heard network, and I heard other big broadcasting companies named, but not Lorimar.
| author = Alan Mendelson
| source = WTVJ reporter, on news of the station's proposed sale to [[Lorimar-Telepictures]] (producers of the CBS soap opera ''[[Dallas (TV series)|Dallas]]''){{r|MiamiN19860521p10}}
| width = 300px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}

One anonymous Wometco staffer told ''[[The Miami Herald]]'' that several broadcast networks showed an interest in WTVJ, with a CBS official identifying Miami as one of eight "[[Sun Belt]]" markets for future acquisitions. A revision to the ''Herald'' story added that NBC also made an inquiry about the station.<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite news |last=Owens |first=Dory |date=April 29, 1986 |title=Channel 4 up for sale; CBS may be a bidder |page=5D |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75437366/channel-4-up-for-sale-cbs-may-be-a/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012901/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75437366/channel-4-up-for-sale-cbs-may-be-a/ |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}|{{Cite news |last=Owens |first=Dory |date=April 29, 1986 |title=Channel 4 is up for sale; networks may be bidders |page=5D |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75437230/channel-4-is-up-for-sale-networks-may/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012857/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75437230/channel-4-is-up-for-sale-networks-may/ |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |quote=Miami's oldest television station, WTVJ-Channel 4, is up for sale and among the dozen companies interested in buying it are NBC and CBS. ... NBC officials could not be reached for comment. |via=Newspapers.com}}}}</ref> KKR had originally intended to sell off WTVJ by itself and had rejected a $350&nbsp;million offer by CBS in the process, but it soon fielded inquiries about including some of the Storer stations in a potential sale.<ref name="MiamiH19860522p736">{{Cite news|last=Foote, Jr.|first=Cornelius F.|date=May 22, 1986|title=WTVJ owner expects 'bundle' from sale|page=15C|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75456993/wtvj-owner-expects-bundle-from/|access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012859/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75456993/wtvj-owner-expects-bundle-from/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Television and film [[Production company|production]] and [[Broadcast syndication|syndication]] company [[Lorimar-Telepictures]] emerged as the buyer of WTVJ—along with Storer stations WAGA-TV, [[WITI (TV)|WITI]], [[WJBK]], [[WJW-TV]], [[WSBK-TV]] and [[KNSD|KCST]]—in a $1.85&nbsp;billion group deal announced on May 21, 1986.<ref name="MiamiN19860521p10">{{Cite news|date=May 21, 1986|title=Lorimar Corp. buying WTVJ in deal with Wometco firm|page=10A|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457035/lorimar-corp-buying-wtvj-in-deal-with/|access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012859/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457035/lorimar-corp-buying-wtvj-in-deal-with/|url-status=live}}</ref> WTVJ, including the studio building and surrounding land, was itself sold for $405&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Chrissos|first=Joan|date=July 1, 1986|title=Lorimar agrees to buy WTVJ, 6 other stations for $1.85 billion|page=6D|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75456940/lorimar-agrees-to-buy-wtvj-6-other/|access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012859/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75456940/lorimar-agrees-to-buy-wtvj-6-other/|url-status=live}}</ref> Also included were Storer's program production company, advertising sales division, and Washington [[news bureau]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Altaner|first=David|date=May 22, 1986|title=Lorimar buying WTVJ, 6 other stations|page=D1|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457095/lorimar-buying-wtvj-6-other-stations/|access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012857/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457095/lorimar-buying-wtvj-6-other-stations/|url-status=live}}</ref> A KKR representative said the firm stood "to make a bundle" and that Lorimar-Telepictures, unlike KKR, had the resources to do more with the stations.{{r|MiamiH19860522p736}} Lorimar-Telepictures already owned five television stations inherited from predecessor [[Telepictures]]<ref name="MiamiN19860924p20">{{Cite news|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=September 24, 1986|title=Channel 4 buyers get Wall Street Journal scrutiny|page=5C|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75506723/channel-4-buyers-get-wall-street/|access-date=April 12, 2021|archive-date=April 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412163013/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75506723/channel-4-buyers-get-wall-street/|url-status=live}}</ref> and concurrently with the Storer transaction had made offers to purchase [[WPGH-TV]] in [[Pittsburgh]] and [[WTTV]] in [[Bloomington, Indiana]], serving [[Indianapolis]].<ref name="WSJ19860915p1">{{Cite news|last=Kwitny|first=Jonathan|author-link=Jonathan Kwitny|date=September 15, 1986|title=Seeds of Success: Two Lorimar Officials Have Had Ties to Men Of Underworld Repute --- Merv Adelson, Irwin Molasky Relied on Teamster Loans To Build Many Businesses --- Entertaining at La Costa|page=1|work=The Wall Street Journal Eastern Edition|publisher=Dow Jones & Company, Inc|location=New York, New York|id={{ProQuest|397983887}}|via=ProQuest}}</ref> The deal faced opposition from the [[Cleveland]] chapter of [[NABET]] and a group of minority Wometco shareholders, but Lorimar-Telepictures president Alan Bell expressed confidence those disputes would be resolved.{{r|MiamiN19860924p20}}
[[File:Mervyn Adelson.jpg|thumb|upright=0.86|Merv Adelson|alt=Refer to caption]]
In the June 7, 1986, edition of ''[[The Palm Beach Post]]'', TV critic Bob Michals reported on rumors of a possible affiliation swap between [[WPEC]] (channel 12), [[West Palm Beach]]'s ABC affiliate, and [[WTVX]] (channel 34), a UHF station and CBS affiliate based in [[Fort Pierce]].<ref name="Palm860607">{{cite news |last=Michals |first=Bob |date=June 7, 1986 |title=TV stations may pull switcheroo |page=F1 |work=Palm Beach Post |location=West Palm Beach, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-tv-stations-may-pull/122778928/ |access-date=April 13, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413192546/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-tv-stations-may-pull/122778928/ |url-status=live }}</ref> WTVX had gone on the air in 1966 and initially primarily covered the [[Treasure Coast]] area. WTVJ continued to be the CBS affiliate of record for the Palm Beaches for more than a decade after channel 34 signed on; channel 4 could be seen clearly on cable systems in [[Palm Beach County]] despite its weak signal.<ref name="Palm711205">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-cable-tv-to-underst/147905381/|date=December 5, 1971|pages=G1, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-cable-tv-broadcast/147905328/ G9]|first=Jerry|last=Renninger|title=Cable TV: To Understand the Sweat, You Must Understand the Beast|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post-Times|location=West Palm Beach, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 23, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523032607/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-cable-tv-to-underst/147905381/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> When WTVJ opened a news bureau in Palm Beach County in 1970, that area represented 12.4 percent of its audience.<ref name="Palm700302">{{Cite news |date=March 2, 1970 |title=Covering Palm Beach County: Channel 4 Opens Bureau |page=45 |newspaper=The Palm Beach Post |location=West Palm Beach, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105508230/covering-palm-beach-county-channel-4-op/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034824/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105508230/covering-palm-beach-county-channel-4/ |archive-date=July 14, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> At one time, it outrated WPEC before the station improved and lost the distinction of being, per Alan Jenkins of ''The Palm Beach Post'', an "embarrassing No. 3 in a two-station market".<ref name="Palm770407">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-ratings-determine-al/147905527/|date=April 7, 1977|pages=B1, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-ratings/147905499/ B2], [https://newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-ratings/147905581/ B3]|title=Ratings Determine All in Television: Local Stations Feel Pinch of Pressure|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|location=West Palm Beach, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 23, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523032611/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-ratings-determine-al/147905527/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->  In 1980, WTVX built a new transmitting facility further south. Its signal covered Palm Beach County for the first time, and the county's cable systems added WTVX to their lineups.<ref name="powerful">{{cite news |last=Michals |first=Bob |date=June 2, 1980 |title=Powerful 34: The New Kid On the Dial |pages=A13, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42564227/wtvx/ A16], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42564265/wtvx/ A17] |work=Palm Beach Post |location=West Palm Beach, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42564213/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034956/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42564213/powerful-34-the-new-kid-on-the-dial/ |archive-date=July 14, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=June 1, 1980 |title=Cable Drops Sports Programming |page=B2 |work=Palm Beach Post |location=West Palm Beach, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42564169/cable_drops_sports_programming/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034957/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42564169/cable-drops-sports-programming/ |archive-date=July 14, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> WTVX general manager Lynwood Wright asserted no one from either network had been in contact with him, while Michals expressed puzzlement over CBS wanting to risk hurting WTVJ's ratings by having WPEC join the network, saying, "[T]he only question I have with the swap is why?"{{r|Palm860607}}

On October 22, 1986, Lorimar-Telepictures asked to exclude WTVJ from the deal, which KKR agreed to.<ref name="MiamiN19861023p8">{{Cite news|last=Sigale|first=Merwin|date=October 23, 1986|title=WTVJ ownership uncertain after Lorimar exclusion|page=8A|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75438298/wtvj-ownership-uncertain-after-lorimar/|access-date=April 11, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411051521/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75438298/wtvj-ownership-uncertain-after-lorimar/|url-status=live}}</ref> This was initially attributed to Lorimar having issues financing the deal,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Chrissos|first=Joan|date=October 23, 1986|title=Sale of Channel 4 falls through|page=4D|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457153/sale-of-channel-4-falls-through/|access-date=April 11, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411051521/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457153/sale-of-channel-4-falls-through/|url-status=live}}</ref> a weak advertising climate in Miami, and reduced [[cash flow]] estimates for WTVJ<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 23, 1986|title=Lorimar drops deal for WTVJ|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|location=Palm Beach, Florida|agency=Reuters|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457420/lorimar-drops-deal-for-wtvj/|access-date=April 11, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411051519/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75457420/lorimar-drops-deal-for-wtvj/|url-status=live}}</ref> that would have made it impossible to cover interest serviced on $2&nbsp;billion in [[high-yield bonds]] raised by Adelson.<ref name="SouthF19861023p 51">{{Cite news|last=Altaner|first=David|date=October 23, 1986|title=Channel 4 purchase called off|page=D1|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75522747/channel-4-purchase-called-off/|access-date=April 11, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411051520/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75522747/channel-4-purchase-called-off/|url-status=live}}</ref> The $405&nbsp;million price was nearly 21 times WTVJ's cash flow while typical station purchase prices were 10 to 14 times cash flow, causing financial markets to believe Lorimar grossly overpaid.<ref name="MiamiH19890101p397">{{Cite news|last=Sonsky|first=Steve|date=January 1, 1989|title=Swaps' plot twists outdid Dallas|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463265/swaps-plot-twists-outdid-dallas-p2/ 24A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463145/swaps-plot-twists-outdid-dallas/|access-date=April 2, 2021|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034334/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463145/swaps-plot-twists-outdid-dallas/|url-status=live}}</ref>

A few days later, ''The Miami Herald'' reported that Lorimar backed away from WTVJ after learning CBS inquired with Taft Broadcasting about purchasing WCIX for as much as $125&nbsp;million, which risked forcing WTVJ to become an independent with a drastically reduced valuation.<ref name="MiamiH19861030p556">{{Cite news|last=Sonsky|first=Steve|date=October 30, 1986|title=Is CBS behind collapse of WTVJ sale?|pages=7D–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75443461/is-cbs-behind-collapse-of-wtvj-sale-p2/ 8D]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75443437/is-cbs-behind-collapse-of-wtvj-sale/|access-date=April 11, 2011|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411051519/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75443437/is-cbs-behind-collapse-of-wtvj-sale/|url-status=live}}</ref> CBS's interest in WCIX, even with that station's technical deficiencies that limited over-the-air coverage, centered around wanting to purchase a Sun Belt station for a fraction of WTVJ's asking price.{{r|MiamiH19861030p556}} The inquiry ended when [[Laurence Tisch]], who had recently taken over as network chairman,<ref name="JournalTi19860914p1C">{{Cite news|last=Meyer|first=Caroline E.|date=September 14, 1986|title=Tisch may restore CBS prominence|page=1C|newspaper=The Journal Times|agency=The Washington Post|location=Racine, Wisconsin|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times-tisch-may-restore-cbs/122806609/|access-date=April 13, 2023|archive-date=April 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413200248/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times-tisch-may-restore-cbs/122806609/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="GazetteChi19860913p7A">{{Cite news|date=September 13, 1986|title=What's next for embattled CBS? CBS could again become top network under Laurence Tisch's direction|page=7A|newspaper=Chillicothe Gazette|agency=Gannett News Service|location=Chillicothe, Ohio|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chillicothe-gazette-whats-next-for-emba/122807109/|access-date=April 13, 2023|archive-date=April 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413200304/https://www.newspapers.com/article/chillicothe-gazette-whats-next-for-emba/122807109/|url-status=live}}</ref> expressed worry that a station switch would depress the already slumping national ratings of the ''[[CBS Evening News]]''.{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}}<ref>{{Cite news|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=July 2, 1986|title=All news at CBS, especially in news, is near calamitous|page=9A|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75570760/all-news-at-cbs-especially-in-news-is/|access-date=April 11, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411230209/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75570760/all-news-at-cbs-especially-in-news-is/|url-status=live}}</ref> WTVJ general manager Alan Perris later claimed Tisch objected to Lorimar, who produced ''[[Dallas (TV series)|Dallas]]'', ''[[Knots Landing]]'' and ''[[Falcon Crest]]'' for the network,{{r|SouthF19861023p 51}} wanting to purchase a significant portion of the affiliate base. According to Perris, Tisch threatened to disaffiliate all of the CBS stations in the Lorimar deal.{{r|ap}} Taft, which was undergoing a [[corporate restructuring]], sold WCIX along with four other independent stations to the [[TVX Broadcast Group]] for a combined $240&nbsp;million the following month;<ref name="BC861124">{{Cite magazine |date=November 24, 1986 |title=Taft's TV's go to TVX for $240 million |id={{ProQuest|1016914750}} |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1986/BC-1986-11-24.pdf |url-status=live |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=111 |issue=21 |page=41 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131025323/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1986/BC-1986-11-24.pdf |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |access-date=December 2, 2018 |via=World Radio History}}</ref><ref name="BC870511">{{Cite magazine |date=May 11, 1987 |title=McDonald paints a bright picture for TVX |id={{ProQuest|1016919127}} |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-05-11.pdf |url-status=live |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=112 |issue=19 |page=37 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308032432/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-05-11.pdf |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |access-date=December 2, 2018 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> per a report in ''[[Electronic Media]]'', CBS was still allowed to make an offer on WCIX while that transaction was taking place.<ref name="EM861117">{{Cite news |last=Mermigas |first=Diane |date=November 17, 1986 |title=CBS considers buying Taft's Miami station |pages=1, 70 |work=[[Electronic Media]] |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_televisionweek_1986-11-17_5_46_0}}</ref>{{Quote box
| quote = We had a sign out on our front lawn saying 'We'd like to purchase a TV station in a top 20 market. Please call this number if you have such a station to sell.' The fact one network had never bought another's affiliate in a hundred years was just a function of, well, not doing it.
| author = [[Bob Wright]]
| source = NBC chairman{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}}
| width = 275px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}

Following Lorimar's withdrawal, KKR still valued the station between $250&nbsp;million and $300&nbsp;million.<ref name="MiamiH19870210p65">{{Cite news|last=Sonsky|first=Steve|date=February 10, 1987|title=Sale turns local market topsy-turvy|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75073789/sale-turns-local-market-topsy-turvy-p2/ 4B]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75073636/sale-turns-local-market-topsy-turvy/|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034335/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75073636/sale-turns-local-market-topsy-turvy/|url-status=live}}</ref> Perris, who was also a WTVJ shareholder, later explained that the station needed to be sold for at least $270&nbsp;million in order for everyone to [[break even]] and for him and the other shareholders to avoid owing money to KKR.<ref name="ap">{{Cite web|date=October 23, 2017|title=Alan Perris|url=https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/alan-perris|access-date=April 11, 2021|website=Television Academy Interviews|language=en|archive-date=February 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219055448/https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/alan-perris|url-status=live}}</ref> CBS's offer to buy WTVJ for $170&nbsp;million was thus rejected. The network claimed WTVJ was only worth half KKR's asking price at most, and most of its profits came from frequently [[Blackout (broadcasting)|preempting CBS programming]].{{r|MiamiH19870210p65}} KKR then offered WTVJ to both [[Capital Cities/ABC Inc.]] and NBC parent company [[General Electric]] (GE),{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}} under the belief a competing network would not have their bids affected by a CBS disaffiliation threat,{{r|ap}} internally referred to as "that Channel 6 card".{{r|MiamiH19870210p65}} ABC declined the offer, but rumors of interest in WTVJ by NBC quickly emerged.{{r|MiamiH19861030p556}} Negotiations were purposefully kept hidden over the next few weeks in an effort to prevent Laurence Tisch from knowing anything in advance.{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}}

== Sale to NBC and the South Florida affiliation switch ==
{{further|1989 South Florida television affiliation switch}}
[[File:Bob Wright, General Electric (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.78|NBC chairman Bob Wright]]
On January 16, 1987, KKR agreed to sell WTVJ to a joint venture of NBC and General Electric Property Management Co.<ref name="BC870119">{{Cite news|work=Broadcasting|title=NBC buys WTVJ(TV) for $270 million|via=ProQuest|id={{ProQuest|1016911186}}|page=76|date=January 19, 1987}}</ref> for $270&nbsp;million, a [[Price markdown|markdown]] of $135&nbsp;million from Lorimar's prior purchase agreement.{{r|MiamiH19870117p73}}<ref>{{Cite news|last=Michals|first=Bob|date=January 17, 1987|title=Miami's CBS affiliate gets new owner—NBC|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064469/miamis-cbs-affiliate-gets-new/ 12A]|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|location=Palm Beach, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064445/miamis-cbs-affiliate-gets-new/|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034341/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064445/miamis-cbs-affiliate-gets-new/|url-status=live}}</ref> For the first time in the history of North American television, a broadcast network directly purchased an affiliate of a competing network.{{r|MiamiH19870525p49}}<ref name="MiamiN19870117p1">{{Cite news|last1=Croghan|first1=Lore|last2=Walker|first2=Deborah|date=January 17, 1987|title=Channel 4 sale seen triggering shuffles at Miami TV stations|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064239/channel-4-sale-seen-triggering-shuffles/ 6A]|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064211/channel-4-sale-seen-triggering-shuffles/|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034333/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064211/channel-4-sale-seen-triggering-shuffles/|url-status=live}}</ref> NBC chairman [[Bob Wright]] attributed the uniqueness of the purchase to a relaxation in FCC regulations that increased the number of stations one company could own.{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}} CBS was conducting a meeting of its board of affiliates in the [[U.S. Virgin Islands]] when the news broke, so none of the company's executives were available for comment.<ref name="MiamiH19870117p73">{{Cite news|last1=Owens|first1=Dory|last2=Chrissos|first2=Joan|date=January 17, 1987|title=NBC buying Miami's Channel 4; CBS must find new spot on dial|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064167/nbc-buying-miamis-channel-4-cbs/ 18A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064120/nbc-buying-miamis-channel-4-cbs/|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416163750/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75064120/nbc-buying-miamis-channel-4-cbs/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|pages=79–80|work=Broadcasting|id={{ProQuest|1016911326}}|title=CBS board makes Paley, Tisch appointments permanent|date=January 19, 1987}}</ref> Wright called Tisch, who was playing tennis, to tell him the news, saying, "[H]e was very gracious&nbsp;... we didn't get into it in any detail, but I think he was surprised."{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}}

NBC president Raymond Timothy and vice president Pierson Mapes were tasked by Wright to inform Edmund Ansin, president of WSVN parent Sunbeam Television, of the WTVJ purchase in what Mapes later regarded as one of the worst moments of his career. Notified shortly before noon,<ref name="MiamiH19870525p49">{{Cite news|last=Chrissos|first=Joan|date=May 25, 1987|title=A private man goes public|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75053365/a-private-man-goes-public-p2/ 12]–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75053454/a-private-man-goes-public-p3/ 13]|newspaper=The Miami Herald Business/Monday|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75053173/a-private-man-goes-public/|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034337/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75053173/a-private-man-goes-public/|url-status=live}}</ref> Timothy recounted that Ansin said "You Expletive Deleted" at the news but honored a prior invite to lunch at a seafood restaurant on the [[Florida State Road 934|79th Street Causeway]], picking up the tab.{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}} After returning to the WSVN studios, Ansin pointed at a [[satellite dish]] used to receive NBC programming and [[deadpan]]ned to Timothy and Mapes, "Why don't you take it home on the airplane?"{{r|MiamiH19870525p49}} Ansin later described his reaction as "bewilderment", telling Timothy and Mapes it was "bizarre and certainly unprecedented".<ref name="SouthF19870316p 84">{{Cite news|last=Steighorst|first=Tom|date=March 16, 1987|title=Family-owned station WSVN battles network|page=4|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel Weekly Business|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74545382/family-owned-station-wsvn-battles/|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034336/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74545382/family-owned-station-wsvn-battles/|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite Ansin's informal objection to the sale and lobbying from area elected officials on his behalf,{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}}<ref name="MiamiH19870311p168">{{Cite news|last=Chrissos|first=Joan|date=March 11, 1987|title=WSVN's owner seeks to block sale of WTVJ|page=4B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548743/wsvns-owner-seeks-to-block-sale-of/|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=February 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181439/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548743/wsvns-owner-seeks-to-block-sale-of/|url-status=live}}</ref> the FCC approved the sale in September 1987.<ref name="MiamiH19870918p1">{{Cite news |last=Chrissos |first=Joan |date=September 17, 1987 |title=Is the switch on? FCC approves Channel 4 sale |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548552/is-the-switch-on-fcc-approves-channel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181428/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548552/is-the-switch-on-fcc-approves-channel/ |archive-date=February 20, 2022 |access-date=April 5, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548667/is-the-switch-on-fcc-approves-channel/ 4A] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

=== An NBC-owned CBS affiliate ===
WTVJ's existing CBS contract ran out in April 1988, which raised the possibility of WTVJ being an NBC-owned CBS affiliate for a prolonged period.<ref name="SouthF19870311p 37">{{Cite news |last=Stieghorst |first=Tom |date=March 11, 1987 |title=Channel 7 fights sale of rival |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548791/channel-7-fights-sale-of-rival/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034336/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74548791/channel-7-fights-sale-of-rival/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 4, 2021 |newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel |location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |page=D1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Due to WSVN's contract with NBC running until January 1, 1989, both networks agreed to extend WTVJ's CBS contract on a two-week basis for as long as was deemed necessary.<ref name="MiamiN19881101p26">{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=November 1, 1988 |title=FCC approves sale of Channel 6 to CBS |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74535532/fcc-approves-sale-of-channel-6-to-cbs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181440/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74535532/fcc-approves-sale-of-channel-6-to-cbs/ |archive-date=February 20, 2022 |access-date=April 6, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami News |location=Miami, Florida |page=4C |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> WTVJ began liberally preempting CBS's primetime lineup for syndicated shows such as the [[Stacy Keach]] miniseries ''Hemingway'', which displaced CBS programming over three consecutive nights in late April 1988.<ref name="MiamiN19880427p24">{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=April 27, 1988 |title=CBS and WSVN are hassling over their wedding date |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463717/cbs-and-wsvn-are-hassling-over-their/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220181446/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463717/cbs-and-wsvn-are-hassling-over-their/ |archive-date=February 20, 2022 |access-date=April 4, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami News |location=Miami, Florida |page=4C |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The airing of ''Hemingway'' preempted the second half of a two-part ''[[Newhart]]'' episode and a ''[[Hallmark Hall of Fame]]'' installment, the latter of which instead aired after the Sunday late news.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=April 23, 1988 |title=This week: April 23-30, 1988 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75140702/this-week-april-23-30-1988/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034457/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75140702/this-week-april-23-30-1988/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 5, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami News TV/Cable |location=Miami, Florida |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Also preempted was a remake of ''[[I Saw What You Did (1988 film)|I Saw What You Did]]'' written by [[Cuban exodus|Cuban exile]] and Miami native [[Cynthia Cidre]] in favor of a re-airing of the 1984 [[TV movie]] ''He's Not Your Son''; WTVJ's program director said that the station was unaware of Cidre's local ties until after making the schedule change.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Coto |first=Juan Carlos |date=May 19, 1988 |title=Hometown won't see what she did |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75146143/hometown-wont-see-what-she-did/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034440/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75146143/hometown-wont-see-what-she-did/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 5, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=11A |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Alan Perris resigned as WTVJ general manager in May 1988, referring to the last few years of his tenure as a "horror story" where WTVJ was unable to compete amid the affiliation turmoil and CBS's faltering ratings.<ref name="MiamiN19880524p26">{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=May 24, 1988 |title=Perris 'resigns' top job at WTVJ; NBC brings in own management |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75156482/perris-resigns-top-job-at-wtvj-nbc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034440/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75156482/perris-resigns-top-job-at-wtvj-nbc/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 5, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami News |location=Miami, Florida |page=4C |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Perris was succeeded in the role by Dick Lobo, formerly of NBC-owned [[WMAQ-TV]] in Chicago; Lobo had begun his television career as a WTVJ reporter in 1958.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Welin |first=Joel |date=May 24, 1988 |title=WTVJ president resigns to return to 'first love' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75140888/wtvj-president-resigns-to-return-to/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034439/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75140888/wtvj-president-resigns-to-return-to/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 5, 2021 |newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel |location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |page=8E |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> CBS initially declined to invite Lobo to the network's 1988 affiliate convention, but he was invited after three direct attempts to reach the network.<ref name="FortLa19880619p 49">{{Cite news |last=Kelley |first=Bill |date=June 19, 1988 |title=CBS snubs WTVJ |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74526774/cbs-snubs-wtvj/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034440/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74526774/cbs-snubs-wtvj/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 4, 2021 |newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News |location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |pages=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74526884/cbs-snubs-wtvj-p2/ 10D] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Conventional wisdom from the beginning had WSVN taking over as the market's CBS affiliate once NBC programming moved to WTVJ.{{r|MiamiH19870210p65|MiamiN19870117p1}} Negotiations between Ansin and CBS management, however, broke down by late April 1988 over a timeframe for the switch: Ansin insisted WSVN's NBC contract run as intended as the network was to carry the [[1988 Summer Olympics]] and the [[1988 World Series]],{{r|FortLa19880619p 49}} as well as a majority of [[Miami Dolphins]] football games because of [[NFL on NBC|the network's AFC broadcast rights]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=July 4, 1988 |title=Delayed season an opportunity for WSVN compromise |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74525747/delayed-season-an-opportunity-for-wsvn/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034454/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74525747/delayed-season-an-opportunity-for-wsvn/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 4, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami News |location=Miami, Florida |page=4C |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Likewise, CBS was insistent on leaving WTVJ as soon as possible and did not want to remain affiliated with an NBC-owned station.{{r|MiamiH19880809p23}} Ansin made arrangements to fly to [[New York City]] on April 26 to sign a CBS contract at [[CBS Building|Black Rock]] when CBS affiliate relations director Tony Malara called off the meeting, citing that they were reaching out to other parties;{{r|MiamiN19880427p24}} Malara told Ansin the trip was pointless if he would not waver off of the January 1 date.{{r|MiamiH19880809p23}}

WCIX owner TVX found itself under increasing pressure to sell assets by [[Salomon Brothers]]—who financed the purchase of the Taft independent stations and held 60 percent ownership in the company<ref name="DMN870708">{{cite news |last=Weiss |first=Michael |date=July 8, 1987 |title=Broadcaster to focus on trimming costs: Channel 21's new owner 'doing deals' |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |page=1D}}</ref>—after a bond payment to the banker in early 1988 was missed.<ref name="DMN880124">{{cite news |last=Weiss |first=Michael |date=January 24, 1988 |title=Channel 21's latest signals show trouble, possible sale |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |page=2H}}</ref> ''Electronic Media'' reported in late July 1988 that CBS quietly re-entered talks with the banker over WCIX.<ref name="Miam880730">{{Cite news |last=Loudis |first=Stephanie |date=July 30, 1988 |title=Rumors fly again about chance of Channel 6-CBS tie |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121661146/rumors-fly-again-about-chance-of/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327064444/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121661146/rumors-fly-again-about-chance-of/ |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |access-date=March 27, 2023 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=7B |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> ''The Miami News'' reported on August 5 that CBS News president [[Howard Stringer]], recently promoted to president of [[CBS News and Stations|CBS's owned-stations division]], expected a resolution to the Miami affiliation situation "very soon... probably by next week", while Ansin conceded CBS executives had not been in contact with him since April.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=August 5, 1988 |title=CBS purchase of Channel 6 likely, chief hints |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74526615/cbs-purchase-of-channel-6-likely-chief/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034448/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74526615/cbs-purchase-of-channel-6-likely-chief/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 3, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami News |location=Miami, Florida |page=7A |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> CBS announced its purchase of WCIX three days later for $59&nbsp;million,<ref name="MiamiN19880809p1">{{Cite news |last1=Ward |first1=Mike |last2=Lomartire |first2=Paul |last3=Anderson |first3=Bonnie |last4=Jicha |first4=Paul |date=August 9, 1988 |title=TV flip-flop 'like Miami's own soap opera' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74459567/tv-flip-flop-like-miamis-own-soap/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034449/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74459567/tv-flip-flop-like-miamis-own-soap/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 2, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami News |location=Miami, Florida |pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74459633/tv-flip-flop-like-miamis-own-soap/ 7A] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=August 15, 1988 |title=CBS purchases WCIX(TV) Miami |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-08-15-OCR-Page-0065.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034451/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-08-15-OCR-Page-0065.pdf |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |accessdate=January 13, 2019 |work=Broadcasting |pages=65, [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-08-15-OCR-Page-0066.pdf 66]}}</ref><ref name="MiamiH19880809p23">{{Cite news |last=Sonsky |first=Steve |date=August 9, 1988 |title=Channel 7's Ed Ansin gambled big and lost big. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74976470/channel-7s-ed-ansin-gambled-big-and/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034502/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74976470/channel-7s-ed-ansin-gambled-big-and/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 2, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |pages=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74976496/channel-7s-ed-ansin-gambled-big-and/ 8C] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> far below TVX's $90&nbsp;million valuation of the station two years earlier.{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}} The move displaced [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] from WCIX, which signed WSVN up as a replacement affiliate.<ref name="MiamiH19881013p365">{{Cite news |last=Sonsky |first=Steve |date=October 13, 1988 |title=Channel 7, Fox near agreement |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-7-fox-near-agr/74533686/ |access-date=May 26, 2024 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=8D |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526213605/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-7-fox-near-agr/74533686/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The FCC approved the WCIX sale was on October 31, 1988,{{r|MiamiN19881101p26}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=October 13, 1988 |title=Activists' objection withdrawn; Ch. 6 sale on clear path |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75157437/activists-objection-withdrawn-ch-6/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034455/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75157437/activists-objection-withdrawn-ch-6/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 5, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami News |location=Miami, Florida |page=4C |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> but CBS had to legally wait at least 40 days before assuming operations{{r|MiamiN19881101p26}} and did not fully take over until January 3, 1989, preventing them from making a significant on-air promotional campaign.{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}} The network did, however, invest in an outdoor [[billboard]] campaign; one billboard for ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'' on the [[U.S. Route 1 in Florida|South Dixie Highway]] featured a [[dagger]] piercing a numeral "4".<ref name="Miam19890101p1A">{{Cite news |last=Sonsky |first=Steve |date=January 1, 1989 |title=3 million TV viewers affected |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463186/3-million-tv-viewers-affected/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412212200/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463186/3-million-tv-viewers-affected/ |archive-date=April 12, 2021 |access-date=April 3, 2021 |work=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74463579/3-million-tv-viewers-affected-p2/ 25A] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Due to the consummation process, the affiliation changes were now slated to take place on January 1, when WSVN's NBC contract was to end, the date Ansin preferred and which WSVN management argued made CBS's insistence on an earlier date irrelevant. Malara countered by telling the ''Herald'', "...&nbsp;if I had to wait anyway, why should I affiliate with [Ansin]? If I had to wait, screw him. Why not buy an asset?"{{r|MiamiH19890101p397}}

WTVJ, however, advertised the switch with a promotional campaign, internally dubbed Operation Peacock, which cost between {{nobr|$2 and $3 million}}. This included outreach at local malls, a bilingual 24-hour hotline, Spanish-language print and radio advertising (to attract the Cuban [[yuppie]] market), and television ads featuring a custom version of the recent hit song "[[Don't Worry, Be Happy]]" by [[Bobby McFerrin]].{{r|Miam890102}} A life-sized [[cardboard cutout]] of [[Bill Cosby]] was placed in the main lobby of the WTVJ studios.<ref name="Tallah19881231p 17">{{Cite news|date=December 31, 1988|title=It's tough to tell who's on first in Miami TV switches|page=5B|work=Tallahassee Democrat|location=Tallahassee, Florida|agency=Associated Press|via=Newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75160131/its-tough-to-tell-whos-on-first-in/|url-status=live|access-date=April 6, 2021|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034455/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75160131/its-tough-to-tell-whos-on-first-in/}}</ref> The campaign was remembered years later by local television critics Tom Jicha and Hal Boedeker as "grating",<ref name="Sout950515">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-wcix-gets-rea/121814223/|date=May 15, 1995|page=1D|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=WCIX gets ready for a power surge|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 23, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523041153/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-wcix-gets-rea/121814223/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> "annoying",{{r|Miam941122}} and "over as soon as it started".{{r|Sout930928}} The outreach to the Cuban community alienated viewers, particularly older ones;{{r|MiamiH19900208p81}} one station promo that asserted "When [[Fidel Castro|Castro]] falls, Channel 4 will be there!" was regarded by ''[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]'' critic Tom Jicha as "ticklish" and "feverish".<ref name="Sout930928">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-wtvj-does-wor/122572095/|date=September 28, 1993|page=1E|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=WTVJ does worry—and isn't happy|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 23, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523041155/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-wtvj-does-wor/122572095/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->

The final night of programming prior to the switches had both WSVN and WTVJ broadcast the ''[[King Orange Jamboree Parade]]''; WTVJ's coverage had [[Sandy Duncan]] of ''[[The Hogan Family]]'' as a co-host, while WSVN ran NBC's coverage. At 3&nbsp;a.m. on January 1, 1989, WTVJ interrupted the movie ''[[Love and Larceny (1985 film)|Love and Larceny]]'' to air a pre-recorded message from Lobo welcoming the station to the NBC network.<ref name="MiamiH19881231p13">{{Cite news |last=Loudis |first=Stephanie |date=December 31, 1988 |title=NBC stars appear on two channels |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75129878/nbc-stars-appear-on-two-channels/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034458/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75129878/nbc-stars-appear-on-two-channels/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 8, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=13A |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="MiamiH19881225p239">{{Cite news |date=December 25, 1988 |title=Tonight's Best Bets |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75241096/tonights-best-bets-dec-31-1988/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217034525/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75241096/tonights-best-bets-dec-31-1988/ |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 8, 2021 |newspaper=The Miami Herald TV |location=Miami, Florida |page=63 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

== Under NBC management ==
[[File:Archived_WTVJ_news_tape.jpg|thumb|WTVJ archival news tape, 1989|alt=A videotape inside a cover with a cover sheet containing the WTVJ logo and various annotations]]
NBC brought a major infusion of capital into the operation. KKR had paid so much for WTVJ that it limited the company's ability to make major expenditures. In 1988, NBC spent $11&nbsp;million on a satellite newsgathering truck, equipment to broadcast in stereo, and a new news set.<ref name="Miam890102">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-a-mess-worth-millions/147906303/|date=January 2, 1989|pages=Business Monday 1, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-a-mess-worth-millions/147906274/ 14], [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-a-mess-worth-millions/147906332/ 15], [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-a-mess-worth-millions/147906439/ 17]|first=Joan|last=Chrissos|title=A mess worth millions: The numbers on your set aren't the only ones sent spinning by the TV tangle|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 23, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523041157/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-a-mess-worth-millions/147906303/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> Debuting that August, WTVJ's aesthetics and logo were redesigned to have a contemporary feel, the news set included [[glass brick]]s and [[neon lighting]] reflective of [[Brickell Avenue]] architecture, and station promos were shot on [[35 mm movie film|35 mm film]], including music from the [[Miami Sound Machine]].<ref name="MiamiH19880819p128">{{Cite news |last=Loudis |first=Stephanie |date=August 19, 1988 |title=Channel 7 plans to expand news, add newsmagazine |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-7-plans-to-expa/75240212/ |access-date=May 26, 2024 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=4C |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526213748/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-7-plans-to-expa/75240212/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Lobo brought new faces to the station, including [[José Díaz-Balart]], a former anchor for the [[Spanish International Network]] and HBC, who became a general assignment reporter.<ref name="Miam861031">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-sin-news-workers-told-to/148050897/|date=October 31, 1986|page=12A|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=SIN news workers told to clean out desks|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193924/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-sin-news-workers-told-to/148050897/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --><ref name="Miam880701">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ex-hbc-reporter-to-join/148050987/|date=July 1, 1988|page=17C|first=Juan Carlos|last=Coto|title=Ex-HBC reporter to join Channel 4|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193932/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ex-hbc-reporter-to-join/148050987/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> A half-hour morning newscast, ''Today in South Florida'', debuted on January 16; WSVN decried the title's similarity to its own ''Today in Florida'', which had been named for ''The Today Show'' when WSVN was the NBC affiliate.<ref name="Miam890203">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-stations-in-dispute-ove/148155116/|date=February 3, 1989|page=12E|first=Stephanie|last=Loudis|title=Stations in dispute over newscast titles|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062757/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-stations-in-dispute-ove/148155116/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->

WTVJ's ratings performance following the switch was largely mixed: NBC programming created a [[halo effect]] for WTVJ at 11&nbsp;p.m.,<ref name="SouthF19900101p 1">{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=January 1, 1990 |title=TV switch was 1989's cliffhanger: Last year's shuffle defied predictions |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122589689/tv-switch-was-1989s-cliffhanger-last/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410191546/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122589689/tv-switch-was-1989s-cliffhanger-last/ |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel |location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122589744/tv-switch-was-1989s-cliffhanger-last/ 12A] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> but the station fell to third place behind WPLG and WSVN in late afternoons.<ref name="MiamiH19900120p143">{{Cite news |last=Coto |first=Juan Carlos |date=January 20, 1990 |title=Fox taps Miami executive to launch national news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122586033/fox-taps-miami-executive-to-launch/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410191545/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122586033/fox-taps-miami-executive-to-launch/ |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=3B |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Lead anchor John Hambrick left for WCIX at the end of 1989. Lobo believed the lack of a star anchor played up the entire news team, but others felt that it further deprived the station of an identity in local news,<ref name="MiamiH19900208p81">{{Cite news |last=Coto |first=Juan Carlos |date=February 8, 1990 |title=Channel 4 yet to unveil new plan for news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71864623/channel-4-yet-to-unveil-new-plan-for/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410191545/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71864623/channel-4-yet-to-unveil-new-plan-for/ |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |pages=1F, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71864648/channel-4-news-plan-hard-to-spot/ 4F] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> a perception that continued throughout Lobo's tenure.<ref name="MiamiH19930331p192">{{Cite news |last=Boedeker |first=Hal |date=March 31, 1993 |title=Anchors Away: What's behind the changing faces at Channel 4? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122585325/anchors-away-whats-behind-the/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410191536/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122585325/anchors-away-whats-behind-the/ |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |pages=12B–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122585391/anchors-away-whats-behind-the/ 11B] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

WTVJ's rolling coverage of [[Hurricane Andrew]] in 1992 won viewer and industry praise. Meteorologist [[Bryan Norcross]] spent most of 22 hours on the air and led the coverage, which Hal Boedeker of ''The Miami Herald'' described as the "class of the field" and a "tour de force on many levels".<ref name="Miam920824">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-4-norcross-exc/147729155/|date=August 24, 1992|page=Hurricane Extra 12|first=Hal|last=Boedeker|title=Channel 4, Norcross excel: Weathercaster takes anchor role; Channel 10 strong, Channel 6 late|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 22, 2024|archive-date=May 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522211744/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-4-norcross-exc/147729155/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> Norcross had spent five years as the second-string weeknight weatherman at WPLG before moving to WTVJ in 1990.<ref name="Miam900703">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-there-goes-the-weatherm/147907465/|date=July 3, 1990|pages=12B, 9B|first=Juan Carlos|last=Coto|title=There goes the weatherman's neighborhood|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 23, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523041158/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-there-goes-the-weatherm/147907465/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> Norcross, who prior to the hurricane had been uncertain if he would be retained after his contract ran out later in the year, instead signed a three-year extension.{{r|MiamiH19930331p192}} After Andrew, longtime sports anchor Tony Segreto—who had just begun anchoring the 5 p.m. news months before—was elevated to main evening anchor; he replaced Tom Randles, who had been criticized by station staff for hunkering down with family instead of anchoring.<ref name="Miam920916">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-station-hands-anchor-jo/148063302/|date=September 16, 1992|page=2B|first=Hal|last=Boedeker|title=Station hands anchor job to Segreto|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525214022/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-station-hands-anchor-jo/148063302/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> Segreto's conversion drew comparisons to [[Brent Musburger]] and [[Jim Lampley]], both sportscasters that switched to anchor roles.{{r|MiamiH19930331p192}} The Andrew coverage won WTVJ its second Peabody Award, with the judges noting its combination of "spot news and philanthropic effort",<ref name="Miam930405">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-peabody-award-puts-chan/147744786/|date=April 5, 1993|page=5C|first=Hal|last=Boedeker|title=Peabody Award puts Channel 4 in rarefied air|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 22, 2024|archive-date=May 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522211745/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-peabody-award-puts-chan/147744786/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> and another duPont–Columbia Award.<ref name="LosA940128">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-cnn-newsman-fred/148063000/|date=January 28, 1994|page=F26|title=CNN, Newsman Fred Friendly Win DuPont–Columbia Awards|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|location=Los Angeles, California|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525214024/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-cnn-newsman-fred/148063000/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> The May 1993 NBC [[television movie]] ''[[Triumph Over Disaster: The Hurricane Andrew Story]]'' dramatized much of the station's coverage, with [[Ted Wass]] portraying Norcross.<ref name="MiamiH19930525p129">{{Cite news |last=Boedeker |first=Hal |date=May 25, 1993 |title=TV's take on Andrew: South Florida gets a lesson in the docudrama |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tvs-take-on-andrew-so/148404370/ |access-date=May 31, 2024 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |pages=12B–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tvs-take-on-andrew-so/148404416/ 11B] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>{{Quote box
| quote = Whoever is at the top sets the tone. One newscast they seem to want to be kind of an upscale competitor of Channel 10, and the next, they try to best Channel 7.
| author = [[Michael Putney]]
| source = WPLG reporter and former WTVJ reporter, on Dick Lobo{{r|MiamiH19930331p192}}
| width = 250px
}}

Despite the hurricane coverage, WTVJ continued to suffer problems stemming from low-rated NBC daytime programming, turnover in anchor personnel, and a news style that aped WSVN.{{r|Miam930921}} [[Joel Cheatwood]], WSVN's vice president of news, once jokingly threatened to bill Lobo for consultant work, to which WTVJ news director Sharon Scott replied, "they copy us as much as we copy them".{{r|MiamiH19930331p192}} In the February 1993 sweeps, WTVJ's 5&nbsp;p.m. news ranked behind ''[[Geraldo (talk show)|Geraldo]]'' on WCIX in both the [[Nielsen Media Research|Nielsen]] and [[Arbitron]] books.<ref name="SouthF19930311p 77">{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=March 11, 1993 |title=Another month, more of the same ratings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122585631/another-month-more-of-the-same-ratings/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410191536/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122585631/another-month-more-of-the-same-ratings/ |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel |location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |page=3E |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> One unnamed television executive told the ''Herald'' that WTVJ felt like "...&nbsp;a confused station with no identity&nbsp;... everything seems to be done on the moment".{{r|MiamiH19930331p192}}

In September 1993, citing "philosophical differences", NBC replaced Lobo with a longtime NBC employee, [[Don Browne]], who had just left his post as second-in-command at NBC News and previously ran its Miami bureau. Though his job had been in New York, he still lived with his family in South Florida{{r|Miam930921}} and had been in WTVJ's studio when Andrew hit.{{r|Sout930928}} Unlike Lobo, Browne believed WTVJ was "looking over its shoulder" at WSVN too much<ref name="Miam930921">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-4-chief-quits/147744657/|date=September 21, 1993|pages=1C, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-4-changes-manag/147744698/ 3C]|first=Hal|last=Boedeker|title=Channel 4 chief quits: NBC installs former network news executive|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 22, 2024|archive-date=May 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522211745/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-4-chief-quits/147744657/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> and felt the station needed to find a news identity.{{r|Sout930928}} WTVJ won another duPont–Columbia Award in 1994 for its coverage of [[Operation Uphold Democracy|the crisis in Haiti]].<ref name="Miam960127">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvj-haitian-coverage-e/148062387/|date=January 27, 1996|page=2B|title=WTVJ Haitian coverage earns kudos|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062757/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvj-haitian-coverage-e/148062387/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat -->

[[Jennifer Valoppi]], formerly of [[WWOR-TV]] in New York, joined WTVJ in January 1994 and initially was intended to anchor a new 4:30 p.m. newscast. When anchor Michele Gillen{{efn|Gillen was reassigned to WTVJ the previous year after [[Chevrolet C/K (third generation)#Sidesaddle fuel tank controversy|a report on the Chevrolet C/K]] led by Gillen on ''[[Dateline NBC]]'' was later revealed to have included staged explosions; Lobo pursued Gillen as an anchor months before the ''Dateline'' report aired.{{r|MiamiH19930331p192}}}} unexpectedly departed, Valoppi became the station's lead female anchor.<ref name="Sout940503">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-valoppis-a-m/148077807/|date=May 3, 1994|page=1E|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=Valoppi's a mover when things shake|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526015519/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-valoppis-a-m/148077807/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> A year later, she was joined at the station by [[Jackie Nespral]], who had been the co-host of ''[[Weekend Today]]'' for the network but wanted to stop commuting to and from New York.<ref name="Miam941216">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-anchor-coming-home/148078126/|date=December 16, 1994|page=2B|first=John|last=Barry|title=NBC anchor 'coming home' to join Ch. 4|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062757/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-anchor-coming-home/148078126/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->

== Move to channel 6 ==
{{further|1994–1996 United States broadcast television realignment}}
{{Maplink|frame=yes|frame-height=280|frame-width=220|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/WCIX and WTVJ map}} |text=The Grade A signal contours of channels 4 and 6 in Miami as they existed in the early 1990s. Channel 4's signal (red) broadcast from a tower midway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale and provided primary coverage of areas from [[Boca Raton]] in the north to [[Goulds, Florida|Goulds]] in the south. Channel 6's signal (blue) broadcast from a tower at Homestead, in the southern portion of the metropolitan area, and did not adequately reach populous areas in Broward County north of [[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport]].<ref name="Sout940506">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72808215/getting-the-big-picture-from-channel-6/|date=May 6, 1994|page=4E|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=Getting the big picture from Channel 6|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 27, 2023|archive-date=March 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327231553/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72808215/getting-the-big-picture-from-channel-6/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->}}
On May 23, 1994, Fox and [[New World Communications]] entered an alliance under which Fox bought an equity stake in New World, which would switch most of its stations from [[Big Three networks]] to Fox.<ref name="ABJ19940524pA1">{{Cite news |last=Dawidziak |first=Mark |date=May 24, 1994 |title=Channel 8 to drop CBS for Fox: 40-year affiliation ends in autumn as Fox owner pays $500 million to station's parent. WJW to regain NFL games, lose Letterman. Channels 19, 43 to fight for CBS |pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-channel-8-to-dr/123747825/ A8] |work=Akron Beacon Journal |location=Akron, Ohio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-channel-8-to-dr/123747776/ |access-date=April 29, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429190117/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-channel-8-to-dr/123747776/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This deal, struck less than six months after Fox obtained CBS's longtime rights to televise the [[National Football Conference]] of the [[NFL]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 18, 1993 |title=Fox nabs NFC rights from CBS |page=29A |work=The Herald Statesman |agency=Associated Press |location=Yonkers, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-statesman-fox-nabs-nfc-rights/123569306/ |access-date=April 26, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426212333/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-statesman-fox-nabs-nfc-rights/123569306/ |url-status=live }}</ref> contained a groupwide multi-year affiliation agreement that would change network affiliations of the majority of stations owned by—or in the process of being acquired by—New World to Fox after each existing contract expired.<ref name="nytbusinessdigest22">{{cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |date=May 24, 1994 |title=Fox Will Sign Up 12 New Stations; Takes 8 from CBS |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/us/fox-will-sign-up-12-new-stations-takes-8-from-cbs.html?pagewanted=4 |url-status=live |access-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625021414/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/us/fox-will-sign-up-12-new-stations-takes-8-from-cbs.html?pagewanted=4 |archive-date=June 25, 2017}}</ref><ref name="BC940530">{{cite magazine |id={{ProQuest|225327977}} |last=Foisie |first=Geoffrey |date=May 30, 1994 |title=Fox and the New World order |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-05-30.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable |volume=124 |issue=22 |pages=6, 8 |access-date=April 25, 2013 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725013818/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-05-30.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> This agreement triggered [[1994–1996 United States broadcast television realignment|a round of affiliation switches]] in markets nationwide as new group deals were carved out. Less than a month later, ABC and [[Scripps-Howard Broadcasting]] struck a deal that included, among other stations, [[WMAR-TV]] in [[Baltimore, Maryland]], joining the network.<ref>{{cite news |last=Stevenson |first=Jennifer L. |date=June 16, 1994 |title=ABC switching channels in bay area |page=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68960914/ 17A] |work=St. Petersburg Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68960825/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205074413/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68960825/abc-switching-channels-in-bay-area/ |archive-date=February 5, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 17, 1994 |title=COMPANY NEWS; TV Stations Shift to ABC |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/17/business/company-news-tv-stations-shift-to-abc.html |access-date=October 21, 2012 |archive-date=November 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111215200/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/17/business/company-news-tv-stations-shift-to-abc.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Westinghouse Broadcasting]] (Group W) was the owner of Baltimore's outgoing ABC affiliate [[WJZ-TV]] and already talking to Fox, CBS, and NBC on an affiliation deal of their own.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 11, 1994 |title=THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Group W's Negotiations |page=D8 |newspaper=The New York Times |agency=Reuters |location=New York, New York |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/11/business/the-media-business-group-w-s-negotiations.html |access-date=April 28, 2023 |archive-date=May 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502120327/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/11/business/the-media-business-group-w-s-negotiations.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On July 14, 1994, Group W and CBS agreed to a group-wide 10-year contract; this renewed Group W's two existing CBS affiliations and switched the other three to CBS, including longtime NBC affiliate [[KYW-TV]] in [[Philadelphia]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |date=July 15, 1994 |title=CBS to Add Three Affiliates in Deal With Westinghouse |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/15/business/the-media-business-cbs-to-add-three-affiliates-in-deal-with-westinghouse.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023121452/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/15/business/the-media-business-cbs-to-add-three-affiliates-in-deal-with-westinghouse.html |archive-date=October 23, 2014}}</ref>{{r|BC19940718p14}} As part of the deal, Group W and CBS formed a [[joint venture]] to acquire other television stations and operate a syndication company.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zurawik |first=David |author-link=David Zurawik |date=July 15, 1994 |title=WJZ to join CBS in 3-station deal |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-wjz-to-join-cbs-in-3-s/123688174/ 7A] |work=The Baltimore Sun |location=Baltimore, Maryland |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-wjz-to-join-cbs-in-3-s/123688156/ |access-date=April 29, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429040958/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-wjz-to-join-cbs-in-3-s/123688156/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This necessitated CBS to sell off [[WCAU-TV]], their owned-and-operated station in Philadelphia: NBC and Fox made offers for WCAU-TV, while CBS expressed interest in conducting an [[asset swap]].<ref name="BC19940718p14">{{Cite magazine|last=Zier |first=Julie A. |date=July 18, 1994 |title=CBS, Group W form historic alliance: affiliations, joint station buying, program deals in prospect |page=14 |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable |id={{ProQuest|225329759}} |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-07-18.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=March 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307183829/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-07-18.pdf |archive-date=March 7, 2023}}</ref> In September 1994, Fox agreed to purchase existing Philadelphia affiliate [[WTXF-TV]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Zier |first=Julie A. |date=September 5, 1994 |id={{ProQuest|225325817}} |title=Fox buys WTXF Philly for $200 million plus: seller, Viacom-Paramount, rumored to be negotiating for Combined's WGBS-TV and WBFS-TV |page=12 |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-09-05.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=March 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131031021/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-09-05.pdf |archive-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref> With NBC remaining as the only bidder for WCAU-TV, talks began in earnest over an swap of stations between the two networks.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Miles |first=Laureen |date=September 5, 1994 |title=WTXF-Phila. fetches $200 million |page=5 |work=Mediaweek |id={{Gale|A15809876}}}}</ref> This "[[horse trading]]" transaction was largely confirmed on November 21, 1994, with the Group W–CBS joint venture receiving [[KCNC-TV]] in [[Denver]] and [[KUTV]] in [[Salt Lake City]], along with WTVJ's channel 4 license and transmitter site, from NBC; in turn, NBC acquired both WCAU-TV and WCIX's channel 6 license and transmitter site.<ref name="Sout941122">{{Cite news |last=Jicha |first=Tom |date=November 22, 1994 |title=CBS, NBC Changing Channels |work=South Florida Sun-Sentinel |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1994-11-22/news/9411210600_1_wcix-nbc-programs-stations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703093638/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1994-11-22/news/9411210600_1_wcix-nbc-programs-stations |archive-date=July 3, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Miam941122">{{Cite news |last=Boedeker |first=Hal |date=November 22, 1994 |title=NBC: We're sticking with WTVJ |pages=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121813844/nbc-were-not-dropping-wtvj/ 3C] |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121813819/nbc-were-sticking-with-wtvj/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328170032/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121813819/nbc-were-sticking-with-wtvj/ |archive-date=March 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>{{efn|The deal was structured in such a way that WFOR-TV operates on the former WTVJ license and WTVJ operates on the former WCIX license.}}

In the swap, CBS upgraded and NBC downgraded. During its tenure as a CBS station, WCIX on channel 6 had been among the network's weakest outlets. Howard Stringer told the media within a year of the move that CBS owning WCIX was "a disaster" and that with its signal troubles, "We can never be better than third".<ref name="Sout890727">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121838453/wcix-ownership-a-disaster-for-cbs/|date=July 27, 1989|page=8E|title=WCIX ownership 'a disaster' for CBS|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328222334/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121838453/wcix-ownership-a-disaster-for-cbs/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Zink |first1=Jack |last2=Jicha |first2=Tom |date=August 2, 1989 |title=CBS damage-controllers jump on Miami 'disaster' |pages=1, 37 |work=Variety |id={{ProQuest|1438499812}}}}</ref> WCIX had a reputation of being one of the lowest-rated CBS affiliates for large events, such as the [[Super Bowl]] and television miniseries. The channel 6 problem, which had been CBS's since 1989, would soon become NBC's issue.{{r|Sout941122}}<ref>{{Cite news|title=NBC, CBS swap affiliates|date=November 28, 1994|first=Laureen|last=Miles|work=Mediaweek|page=6|id={{Gale|A15914616}} }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Eric|last=Schmuckler|work=Mediaweek|title=NBC closing in on WCAU-TV|page=3|date=October 24, 1994|id={{Gale|A15846153}} }}</ref>

The switch was intended to be executed in early July, but delays in obtaining FCC approval pushed it back;<ref name="Miam950522">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121814759/date-for-channel-switch-pushed-back/|date=May 22, 1995|page=Business Monday 7|first=Mimi|last=Whitefield|title=Date for channel switch pushed back|newspaper=The Miami Herald|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328170028/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121814759/date-for-channel-switch-pushed-back/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> the commission granted the transfers in August, setting up the switch for 1&nbsp;a.m. on September 10, 1995.<ref name="Miam950818">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121815112/tv-switcheroo-ii-set-for-sept-10/|date=August 18, 1995|page=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121815173/crossing-of-the-channels-set-for-sept-1/ 17A]|first=Robin|last=Dougherty|title=TV switcheroo II set for Sept. 10|newspaper=The Miami Herald|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328170024/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121815112/tv-switcheroo-ii-set-for-sept-10/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> At that time, WTVJ and NBC programming moved to channel 6, while WCIX and CBS programming moved to channel 4 under the new call sign of [[WFOR-TV]].<ref name="Miam950911">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tvs-big-switch-has-a-g/147665086/|date=September 11, 1995|pages=1B, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-televisions-big-switch/47708445/ 3B]|first=D. Aileen|last=Dodd|title=TV's Big Switch has a glitch: Some Channel 6 viewers will have to deal with transmission problems|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519060233/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tvs-big-switch-has-a-g/147665086/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> Upon taking over channel 6, NBC acquired two of its dependent translators, upgraded one, and added another.<ref name="Sout950619">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47705704/the-channel-switch-a-win-for-broward/|date=June 19, 1995|page=1D|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=The channel switch: a win for Broward?|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 28, 2023|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328170029/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47705704/the-channel-switch-a-win-for-broward/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --><ref>{{cite news|pages=1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47707163/channels-4-and-6-to-switch-positions-on/ 5A]|first=Tom|last=Jicha|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 9, 1995|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47707187/|work=Sun-Sentinel|access-date=March 30, 2020|title=Reprogram the VCRs — channels 4, 6 about to swap}}</ref> In the immediate aftermath, NBC's ratings fell, but CBS ratings did not improve.<ref>{{cite news|page=24|date=November 20, 1995|work=Mediaweek|title=Of switches and pitches|first=Mark|last=Gimein|id={{ProQuest|213638699}} }}</ref> Bryan Norcross, who desired to no longer work the 11 p.m. newscast, resigned from WTVJ that November before signing a contract with WFOR-TV three months later.<ref name="Sout960206">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-future-sunny/148063136/|date=February 6, 1996|page=3B|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=Future sunny for Norcross: Channel 4 hires veteran as forecaster, co-anchor|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062809/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-future-sunny/148063136/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->

Díaz-Balart departed in 1996 to co-anchor ''[[CBS This Morning]]''.<ref name="Miam960508">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-brother-jose-heading-to/148051476/|date=May 8, 1996|page=1B|title=Brother Jose heading to CBS|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193927/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-brother-jose-heading-to/148051476/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The next year, WTVJ introduced a 10 p.m. newscast on [[The WB|WB]] affiliate [[WSFL-TV|WDZL]] (channel 39)<ref name="Miam970113">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wb39-news-makes-sound-d/148052299/|date=January 13, 1997|page=1C|first=Robin|last=Dougherty|title=WB39 News makes sound debut; will ratings follow?|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193947/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wb39-news-makes-sound-d/148052299/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> and removed the standing set, the last vestige of the Lobo-era news presentation.<ref name="Miam970319">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-new-studio-set-means-go/148052596/|date=March 19, 1997|page=3D|first=Fred|last=Tasker|title=New studio set means good news for NBC 6|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193928/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-new-studio-set-means-go/148052596/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> Segreto completed his transition from sports to news by relinquishing weeknight sports anchoring in 1997; [[Joe Rose (American football)|Joe Rose]] and [[Craig Minervini]] took his place anchoring the sportscasts on weeknights.<ref name="Miam970711">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ch-6s-segreto-quits-s/148053160/|date=July 11, 1997|page=8D|title=Ch. 6's Segreto quits sports|first=Barry|last=Jackson|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193955/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ch-6s-segreto-quits-s/148053160/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->
{{Quote box
| quote = We were written off in 1995 like we were dead because of the signal switch. ... We came back and succeeded by following a course of doing solid, old-fashioned journalism. We didn't promote breast-size stories. I think the intelligence of the audience is paying off.
| author = Don Browne<ref name="Miam010525">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-late-news-sweeps/148056211/|date=May 25, 2001|pages=1C, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-scores-ratings-vi/148056251/ 3C]|first=Terry|last=Jackson|title=NBC 6 late news sweeps competition|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525214018/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-late-news-sweeps/148056211/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->
| width = 300px
| qalign = left
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}}
In spite of the channel switch, WTVJ's news format found traction in the ratings. In the May 1998 Nielsen sweeps, WTVJ had the number-one English-language newscast at 11 p.m. for the first time since November 1994, before the channel switch, and moved into second among English-language stations in early evenings.<ref name="Miam980522">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvjnbc-6-gains-but-c/148053810/|date=May 22, 1998|pages=1C, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvjnbc-6-conquers-lat/148054078/ 4C]|first=Terry|last=Jackson|title=WTVJ/NBC 6 gains, but Channel 23 reigns|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193934/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvjnbc-6-gains-but-c/148053810/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> It was the first of three consecutive wins in late news, a first for WTVJ since the Renick years{{r|Miam990321}} and among several in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as Browne emphasized "solid, old-fashioned journalism".{{r|Miam010525}} In 2000, [[WPXM-TV]] (channel 35), Miami's [[Ion Television|Pax]] station, began rebroadcasting WTVJ's evening newscasts as part of a national agreement between NBC and Pax.<ref name="Miam000419">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-to-air-news-on-pax/148055363/|date=April 19, 2000|pages=1C, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-paxson-to-rebroadcast-b/148055334/ 3C]|first=Mimi|last=Whitefield|title=NBC to air news on PAX: National, local programs in plan|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193949/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-to-air-news-on-pax/148055363/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> That March, WTVJ's helicopter crashed after covering an accident; the pilot and a cameraman were killed when the helicopter's rotors struck the tail.<ref name="Flor000305">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/florida-today-copters-rotors-severed-ta/148155368/|date=March 5, 2000|page=4B|agency=Associated Press|title=Copter's rotors severed tail: Resulting crash killed 2 aboard|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527062758/https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-copters-rotors-severed-ta/148155368/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->

==Move to Miramar, digitalization, and combination with WSCV==
WTVJ began negotiations to sell its downtown Miami studios in 1997. Browne noted that the former Capitol Theater was "crumbling" and the station had run out of room. For a new location, the station scouted sites in Dade and Broward counties.<ref name="Miam970621">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvjnbc-6-searching-fo/148052992/|date=June 21, 1997|page=2B|title=WTVJ/NBC 6 searching for larger, newer home|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193951/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvjnbc-6-searching-fo/148052992/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --> In April 1998, the station closed on an $11.6&nbsp;million sale of the property to the federal government, which planned to raze the old theater and construct new courthouses and offices; WTVJ had two years to vacate the premises.<ref name="Miam980422">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvj-sells-its-downtown/148053497/|date=April 22, 1998|page=7B|title=WTVJ sells its downtown building|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193938/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvj-sells-its-downtown/148053497/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> Miami city and Miami-Dade County officials attempted to keep WTVJ from leaving the city,<ref name="Miam980502">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-dade-broward-vie-for-c/148053702/|date=May 2, 1998|pages=C1, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-dade-broward-vie-for-c/148053756/ C3]|first=Barbara|last=De Lollis|title=Dade, Broward vie for Channel 6: WTVJ needs new building|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193938/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-dade-broward-vie-for-c/148053702/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --> but many of the Miami-Dade incentives hinged on the creation of new jobs, not relevant to the station. WTVJ agreed in July 1998 to build its new main studio in [[Miramar, Florida|Miramar]], in Broward County, though it would maintain a Miami studio in another downtown locale.<ref name="Miam980731">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-moving-north-to-m/148054247/|date=July 31, 1998|pages=1A, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tv-station-shifting-hea/148054346/ 17A]|first1=Gregg|last1=Fields|first2=Jane|last2=Bussey|title=NBC 6 moving north to Miramar: Broward's gain means end of an era in Miami|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193940/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-moving-north-to-m/148054247/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> The move was seen by Steve Bousquet, a writer for ''The Miami Herald'' and former Broward news reporter for WPLG, as an acknowledgement of the increasing population of Broward, whose news was once relegated to secondary status on Miami TV stations.<ref name="Miam980731-Steve">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-states-first-tv-statio/148054183/|date=July 31, 1998|pages=1A, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-6s-move-follow/148054210/ 17A]|title=State's first TV station is now Broward's first|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193943/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-states-first-tv-statio/148054183/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->

The {{convert|76000|ft2|m2|adj=on}} Miramar studio, near [[Interstate 75 in Florida|Interstate 75]] and Miramar Parkway, opened in July 2000 at a cost of $26&nbsp;million. Designed by [[Arquitectonica]], it featured a Mediterranean architectural theme (in compliance with city building codes) as well as a heliport.<ref name="Miam000308">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-style-clash-south-flor/148067349/|date=March 8, 2000|pages=1E, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-modernists-invading-med/148067296/ 4E]|first=Peter|last=Whoriskey|title=Style clash: South Florida architects with a flair for Modern design run up against city planning|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525222035/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-style-clash-south-flor/148067349/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --><ref name="Miam000730">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-new-era-for-nbc-6-news/148055742/|date=July 30, 2000|pages=1BR, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-begins-new-era-fr/148055545/ 4BR]|first=Daniel|last=de Vise|title=New era for NBC 6: Newscast debuts from Miramar studio|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063305/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-new-era-for-nbc-6-news/148055742/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->{{efn|The old Capitol Theater was razed in 2002.<ref name="Miam020818">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-razing-of-wtvjs-old-ho/148057112/|date=August 18, 2002|pages=1B, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-theaters-demise-wakes/148057054/ 2B]|first=Anabelle|last=de Gale|title=Razing of WTVJ's old home stirs up station's 'ghosts'|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525202717/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-razing-of-wtvjs-old-ho/148057112/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> }} The facility was tapeless, with programming and commercial segments played off servers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/digital-digs-wtvj-88076|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=August 27, 2000|first=Glen|last=Dickson|title=Digital digs for WTVJ|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519211412/https://www.nexttv.com/news/digital-digs-wtvj-88076|url-status=live}}</ref> It was the first time that NBC had built a new studio for a station since 1988.{{r|Miam000804}} Miramar served as a hub for [[master control]] and commercial insertion operations for the stations NBC owned in the Southeast, including [[WVTM-TV]] in [[Birmingham, Alabama]]; [[KXAS-TV]] in [[Fort Worth, Texas]]; and [[WNCN]] in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite news|title=NBC O&Os tout Miami hub results|page=12|first=Jeremy|last=Murphy|work=Mediaweek|date=July 16, 2001|id={{ProQuest|213623062}}}}</ref> The Miami second studio plan materialized in 2000 as a streetside studio in the corner of the new [[Kaseya Center|American Airlines Arena]].<ref name="Miam000105">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-to-build-studio-i/148055262/|date=January 5, 2000|page=1C|first=Barbara|last=De Lollis|title=NBC 6 to build studio in new arena: Station leases space from Heat|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525195441/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-to-build-studio-i/148055262/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> It opened in December 2001 and housed six reporters and robotic cameras that could be controlled from Miramar.<ref name="Miam020123">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-finds-new-home-in/148056374/|date=January 23, 2002|pages=1C, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-arena-home-to-nbc-6/148056883/ 8C]|first=Shannon|last=Tan|title=NBC 6 finds new home in AmericanAirlines Arena|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525193934/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-finds-new-home-in/148056374/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed -->

{{multiple image
| direction         = vertical
| align             = right
| width             = 215
| image1            = WTVJ WSCV 004.jpg
| caption1          = WTVJ's former newsroom in 2006
| image2            = WTVJ WSCV 032.jpg
| caption2          = WTVJ's former set in 2006
}}

While WTVJ's digital signal was not constrained by the short-spacing problem that had limited channel 6, it was delayed by other allocation issues. The original channel assigned to WTVJ would not have allowed it to return to a centrally located transmitter site.<ref>{{Cite news|pages=82–84|first=Megan|last=Larson|work=Mediaweek|title=Digital frontier|date=April 19, 1999|id={{ProQuest|213632434}} }}</ref> WTVJ and WPXM-TV both sought to use channel 31. After NBC bought a stake in Pax, the latter agreed to pursue channel 26. This led to a conflict between Paxson and [[WXEL-TV]], the public television station for the West Palm Beach area, which had planned its digital facility on channel 26. In October 2002, the parties reached a settlement that saw NBC pay $6.4&nbsp;million to WXEL-TV and $2.25&nbsp;million to Pax.<ref name="Palm021030">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-wxel-paxson-win-i/126633861/|date=October 30, 2002|page=4B|first=Eliot|last=Kleinberg|title=WXEL, Paxson 'win' in three-way TV deal|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|location=West Palm Beach, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519060235/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-wxel-paxson-win-i/126633861/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> Digital broadcasting—from North Dade—began in July 2003,<ref name="Sout030715">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-channel-6-add/147665226/|date=July 15, 2003|page=1D|title=Channel 6 adds digital signal|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063306/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-channel-6-add/147665226/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --> using the same [[candelabra tower]] NBC erected for the station in 1993 when it operated on channel 4.<ref name="MiamiH19930117p855">{{Cite news |date=January 17, 1993 |title=WTVJ will start broadcasting from new antenna tower |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wtvj-will-start-broadca/148346065/ |access-date=May 30, 2024 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=5B |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="a774">{{cite web |last=Fybush |first=Scott |date=September 18, 2015 |title=Site of the Week 9/18/2015: Miami's TV/FM Tower Farm |url=https://www.fybush.com/site-20150918/ |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=Fybush.com |via=RadioBB}}</ref>

NBC bought Telemundo, including its South Florida station [[WSCV]] (channel 51), in 2001. This came after Browne had discussed expanding into Spanish-language broadcasting with Wright.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/don-browne-85272|title=Don Browne|date=October 17, 2008|first=Allison|last=Romano|work=Broadcasting & Cable|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523025527/https://www.nexttv.com/news/don-browne-85272|url-status=live}}</ref> When the Miramar facility was built, NBC was contemplating purchasing another station (either a Spanish-language outlet,{{r|BC030907}} potentially a low-power station,<ref name="Sout030427">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-digital-stati/148058940/|date=April 27, 2003|page=8G|first=Joseph|last=Mann|title=Digital station was built to grow: Consolidation in Miramar went smoothly|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525202715/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-digital-stati/148058940/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> or WPXM{{r|Miam000804}}), and provision was made to house a second station there,<ref name="BC030907">{{cite news|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/bilingual-duopolies-redefine-big-nbc-stations-100449|first=Dan|last=Trigoboff|work=Broadcasting & Cable|title=Bilingual Duopolies Redefine Big NBC Stations|date=September 7, 2003|access-date=July 10, 2022|archive-date=March 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306024225/https://www.nexttv.com/news/bilingual-duopolies-redefine-big-nbc-stations-100449|url-status=live}}</ref> including a second studio and {{convert|12000|ft2|m2}} of unused office space.<ref name="Miam000804">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-moves-into-a-high/147665180/|date=August 4, 2000|pages=1C, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-enters-a-digital/147665163/ 7C]|title=NBC 6 moves into a high-tech home in Miramar|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 23, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523025525/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-moves-into-a-high/147665180/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> WSCV moved to Miramar in 2002.{{r|Sout030427}} The combination bolstered the news resources available to WSCV while giving WTVJ access to the Telemundo station's bilingual talent and connections.<ref name="Miam020904">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-preview-of-coming-attra/148059317/|date=September 4, 2002|pages=1E, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-demographic-shift-helps/148058897/ 2E]|first=Daniel|last=Chang|title=Preview of coming attractions|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063300/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-preview-of-coming-attra/148059317/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> In 2003, NBC named Browne the chief operating officer of Telemundo, ending his decade-long tenure running WTVJ.<ref name="Sout030521">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-wtvj-chief-to/148059788/|date=May 21, 2003|page=3D|first=Joseph|last=Mann|title=WTVJ chief to take new post: Browne to be COO of Telemundo|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525202706/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-wtvj-chief-to/148059788/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> That same year, Díaz-Balart, now the anchor for Telemundo's morning show {{lang|es|Hoy en el Mundo}}, returned to WTVJ as 5 p.m. co-anchor in addition to his Telemundo duties;<ref name="MiamiH20030619p352">{{Cite news |last=Hamersly |first=Michael |date=June 19, 2003 |title=Diaz-Balart back at NBC 6 |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-diaz-balart-back-at-nbc/148147504/ |access-date=May 27, 2024 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=4A |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063307/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-diaz-balart-back-at-nbc/148147504/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Diaz-Balart was at WTVJ until 2009, when he was elevated to anchor Telemundo's nightly newscast.<ref name="MiamiH20091216p8">{{Cite news |last=Garvin |first=Glenn |date=December 16, 2009 |title=Telemundo anchor out |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-telemundo-anchor-out/148147394/ |access-date=May 27, 2024 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=8A |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063336/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-telemundo-anchor-out/148147394/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2003, WTVJ debuted a local afternoon talk show, ''The Rick Sanchez Show'', featuring [[Rick Sanchez (journalist)|Rick Sanchez]]—returning to local TV after a stint at [[MSNBC]] and prior to that a decade at WSVN.<ref name="Miam031013">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-rick-goes-oprah-rick-s/148084489/|date=October 13, 2003|page=10A|first=Glenn|last=Garvin|title=Rick Goes Oprah: Rick Sanchez wants to get South Florida talking with his new show|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526035628/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-rick-goes-oprah-rick-s/148084489/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> Management hoped that Sanchez could shore up the station's flagging ratings in the [[early fringe]] timeslot, where the station remained last in spite of leading at 11 p.m. and coming in second in the morning.<ref>{{cite news|title=WTVJ eyes fringe show|date=June 30, 2003|work=Mediaweek|first=Katy|last=Bachman|page=10|id={{ProQuest|213656080}} }}</ref> The program performed poorly in the ratings, beaten soundly by other syndicated shows and the cartoon ''[[Pokémon (TV series)|Pokémon]]'' on WBZL.<ref name="Miam031129">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-sweeps-results-show-ric/148084513/|date=November 29, 2003|pages=1C, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-television-spanish-net/148084565/ 3C]|first=Glenn|last=Garvin|title=Sweeps results show Rick Sanchez struggling|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526034131/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-sweeps-results-show-ric/148084513/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --> Sanchez also served as the interim anchor for the WBZL newscast. He left WTVJ after less than a year.<ref name="Sout040709">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-its-on-the-m/148084599/|date=July 9, 2004|pages=1A, [https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-rick-sanchez/148084619/ 6A]|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=It's on the move again for TV's Rick Sanchez|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526035624/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-its-on-the-m/148084599/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> November 2003 saw the involuntary retirement of Bob Weaver, who by then was working weekend mornings as a part-timer;<ref name="MiamiH20040207p29">{{Cite news |last=Fleischman |first=Joan |date=February 7, 2004 |title=Talk of Our Town: Bob Weaver didn't forecast his departure |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-talk-of-our-town-bob-w/148153783/ |access-date=May 27, 2024 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=B1 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063302/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-talk-of-our-town-bob-w/148153783/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Weaver died in 2006 and was recognized for both his lengthy tenure at the station and ties to the Renick era.{{r|MiamiH20060619p1}} After the move to Miramar, Valoppi decided to reduce her workload to the early evening newscasts and cease working nights. She was replaced at 11 p.m. by Nespral in February 2001;<ref name="Miam010412">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-prime-time-in-her-homet/148056100/|date=April 12, 2001|page=10A|first=Terry|last=Jackson|title=Prime time in her hometown: To get where she is today, NBC 6 anchor Jackie Nespral had to prove the naysayers wrong|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526015526/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-prime-time-in-her-homet/148056100/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --> in October 2004, WTVJ elected not to renew Valoppi's contract, and she left the station at year's end.<ref name="Miam041016">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-celebritys-call-pumps/148154360/|date=October 16, 2004|page=B1|title=Celebrity's call pumps up shoe designer|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063304/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-celebritys-call-pumps/148154360/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat -->

==Attempted sale to Post-Newsweek Stations and digital era==
In March 2008, NBC began accepting offers on two of its owned-and-operated stations, WTVJ and [[WVIT]] serving [[Hartford, Connecticut]].<ref name="BC081223">{{Cite news |last=Malone |first=Michael |date=December 23, 2008 |title=NBC's WTVJ Sale to Washington Post Co. Is Off |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/nbcs-wtvj-sale-washington-post-co-109662 |access-date=May 19, 2024 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |language=en |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117022825/https://www.nexttv.com/news/nbcs-wtvj-sale-washington-post-co-109662 |url-status=live }}</ref> Four months later, [[Graham Media Group|Post-Newsweek Stations]], owner of WPLG, announced it would purchase WTVJ in a deal valued at $205&nbsp;million. This would have put the NBC and ABC affiliates in Miami under common ownership; though this was not permissible in most markets where both affiliates were in the top four in total-day ratings under FCC rules, WTVJ was sixth per Nielsen (with [[WLTV-DT|WLTV]] third and WSCV fifth).<ref name="Miam080716">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wplg-abc-10-owner-may-b/147698439/|date=July 16, 2008|page=8A|first=Joan|last=Fleischman|title=WPLG-ABC 10 owner may buy WTVJ-NBC 6|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519211406/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-wplg-abc-10-owner-may-b/147698439/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The deal passed [[Hart–Scott–Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act|Hart–Scott–Rodino]] antitrust review by the Department of Justice and [[Federal Trade Commission]] in October, but the FCC had yet to grant approval.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Eggerton |first=John |date=October 6, 2008 |title=FTC Has No Problem With WTVJ Sale To Post-Newsweek |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/ftc-has-no-problem-wtvj-sale-post-newsweek-41353 |access-date=May 19, 2024 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |language=en |archive-date=May 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519211405/https://www.nexttv.com/news/ftc-has-no-problem-wtvj-sale-post-newsweek-41353 |url-status=live }}</ref> In December, after three members of Congress came out against the transaction, the commission opened a public comment window. Shortly after, on December 23, the transaction was called off entirely, with both parties agreeing to abandon the sale citing "the [[Great Recession|current economic environment]] and the delay in receiving the necessary regulatory approval".{{r|BC081223}}

In 2009, WTVJ hired [[John Morales (meteorologist)|John Morales]] as its chief meteorologist; Morales had previously worked for WSCV and filled in on ''Weekend Today'' from 2003 to 2008, in addition to prior work for WLTV and [[Univision]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Staff |date=May 15, 2009 |title=John Morales Joins WTVJ As Chief Meteorologist |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/uncategorized/article/john-morales-joins-wtvj-as-chief-meteorologist/ |access-date=May 26, 2024 |work=TVNewsCheck |language=en |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526175520/https://tvnewscheck.com/uncategorized/article/john-morales-joins-wtvj-as-chief-meteorologist/ |url-status=live }}</ref> That same year, Tony Segreto retired, concluding a 40-year career at WTVJ as a sportscaster and news anchor.<ref name="SouthF20090412p141">{{Cite news |last=Curreri |first=Gary |date=April 12, 2009 |title=Teaming up for one more play |url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-teaming-up-fo/148146834/ |access-date=May 27, 2024 |newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel |location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |pages=17–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-teaming-up-fo/148146855/ 18] |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063309/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-teaming-up-fo/148146834/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Another Ralph Renick protégé, Bob Mayer, retired in 2010, taking advantage of a contract buyout option as [[NBCUniversal]] was being sold from GE to [[Comcast]]. Mayer had joined WTVJ in 1969 as an intern under Renick before becoming a feature reporter and anchor and—aside from a stint in the early 1980s in Hartford, Connecticut, and the CNN bureau in Miami<ref name="Hart841228">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-mayer-to-leave-tv-30-c/118922551/|date=December 28, 1984|pages=D1, [https://newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-mayer-to-leave-tv-30-fo/118922599/ D8]|first=Marc|last=Gunther|title=Mayer To Leave TV 30; Cites Personal Reasons|newspaper=Hartford Courant|location=Hartford, Connecticut|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063306/https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-mayer-to-leave-tv-30-c/118922551/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --><ref name="Miam850718">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-2-ex-wtvj-mainstays-are-a/118922753/|date=July 18, 1985|page=13|title=2 ex-WTVJ mainstays are at Miami bureau of CNN|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063306/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-2-ex-wtvj-mainstays-are-a/118922753/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->—had spent the majority of his career at the station.<ref name="MiamiH20100521p51">{{Cite news |last=Fleischman |first=Joan |date=May 21, 2010 |title=Longtime anchor to retire |url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-longtime-anchor-to-reti/148142496/ |access-date=May 27, 2024 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |location=Miami, Florida |page=8A |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

WTVJ's analog signal in Homestead ceased regular programming on June 12, 2009, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|transition from analog to digital television]], with the digital signal continuing to use channel 31;<ref>{{cite web |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |access-date=March 24, 2012}}</ref> the analog signal transmitted taped information about the transition under the [[SAFER Act]] until June 26, 2009, when it was turned off.<ref name="FCC Nightlight">{{cite web |date=June 12, 2009 |title=UPDATED List of Participants in the Analog Nightlight Program |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-291375A1.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201225603/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/wnbc-ch-4-trims-promo-featuring-nypd-commissioner-ray-kelly-super-bowl-airing-article-1.1018204 |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |access-date=June 4, 2012 |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}</ref> In early 2011, WTVJ launched NBC Nonstop, a [[digital subchannel]] exclusive to NBC owned-stations devoted to news and lifestyle shows, with eight hours per day originating from Miami;<ref>{{cite news |last=Munzenrieder |first=Kyle |date=October 22, 2010 |title=NBC 6 To Launch 24/7 Local News Channel |url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/nbc-6-to-launch-24-7-local-news-channel-6522294 |access-date=May 26, 2024 |newspaper=Miami New Times |archive-date=July 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728165613/https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/nbc-6-to-launch-24-7-local-news-channel-6522294 |url-status=live }}</ref> this service was discontinued at the end of 2012 and replaced with [[Cozi TV]].<ref name="r849">{{cite web |last=Knox |first=Merrill |date=October 24, 2012 |title=NBC Owned Stations Launch COZI TV To Replace NonStop Channels |url=https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/nbc-owned-stations-launch-cozi-tv-to-replace-nonstop-channels/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 27, 2024 |website=Adweek |archive-date=April 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402065039/https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/nbc-owned-stations-launch-cozi-tv-to-replace-nonstop-channels/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

By the early 2010s, WTVJ had slipped back into third place, though it soon moved into second place after a change in station group management. The station changed branding from NBC Miami to NBC South Florida to reduce the perception that its newscasts focused on Miami-area news and not on the broader market.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/uncategorized/article/local-news-competition-heats-up-in-miami/|first=Diana|last=Marszalek|date=March 25, 2014|work=TVNewsCheck|title=Local News Competition Heats Up In Miami|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=April 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414200742/https://tvnewscheck.com/uncategorized/article/local-news-competition-heats-up-in-miami/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, it cut the length of its 11 p.m. sportscast; the next year, in a three-month span, it bought out Joe Rose's contract, eliminated sports in the 6 p.m. news, and canceled its longtime Sunday night sports show, ''Sports Final''.{{r|Miam141205}} [[Roy Firestone]], who had worked as a sportscaster at the station until 1975,<ref name="Miam751112">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-all-in-the-family-repea/148078881/|date=November 12, 1975|page=6B|first=Sherry|last=Woods|title='All In The Family' repeats part of new daytime lineup|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063314/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-all-in-the-family-repea/148078881/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> wrote a letter to the general manager criticizing him for letting news director Migdalia Figueroa make such deep cuts to sports coverage.<ref name="Miam141205">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-drastic-coverage-cuts-a/148078681/|date=December 5, 2014|page=2D|first=Barry|last=Jackson|title=Drastic coverage cuts at NBC 6|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526015521/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-drastic-coverage-cuts-a/148078681/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->

Management of WTVJ was placed under WSCV's general manager, Jorge Carballo, on January 1, 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/wscv-miami-gm-carballo-gets-oversight-of-wtvj|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=November 8, 2019|title=WSCV Miami GM Carballo Gets Oversight of WTVJ|first=Michael|last=Malone|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=April 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415081254/https://www.nexttv.com/news/wscv-miami-gm-carballo-gets-oversight-of-wtvj|url-status=live}}</ref> Under Carballo, WTVJ and WSCV exited a shared helicopter arrangement with other stations and secured the services of their own helicopter. A 7 p.m. newscast, launched as a temporary program during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], became permanent.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Malone |first=Michael |date=June 22, 2022 |title=Local News Close-Up: South Florida Holds the Keys to Successful Local News |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/local-news-close-up-south-florida-holds-the-keys-to-successful-local-news |access-date=May 26, 2024 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |language=en |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703062220/https://www.nexttv.com/news/local-news-close-up-south-florida-holds-the-keys-to-successful-local-news |url-status=live }}</ref> Since 2022, WTVJ's newscasts have been simulcast over [[Peacock (streaming service)|Peacock]] as [[Free ad-supported streaming television|FAST]] channel NBC South Florida News, in conjunction with other NBC owned-stations;<ref name="m846">{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Mark |date=January 20, 2022 |title=Peacock To Launch 24/7 Local News Channels From NBC O&Os |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/peacock-to-launch-24-7-local-news-channels-from-nbc-oos/ |access-date=May 27, 2024 |website=TV News Check |archive-date=May 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524190448/https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/peacock-to-launch-24-7-local-news-channels-from-nbc-oos/ |url-status=live }}</ref> this was extended to [[Pluto TV]] in May 2024.<ref name="w330">{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Mark |date=May 8, 2024 |title=NBCU And Pluto TV Launching NBC And Telemundo Local Streaming News Channels |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/nbcu-and-pluto-tv-launching-nbc-and-telemundo-local-streaming-news-channels/ |access-date=May 27, 2024 |website=TV News Check |archive-date=May 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522110040/https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/nbcu-and-pluto-tv-launching-nbc-and-telemundo-local-streaming-news-channels/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2023, WTVJ debuted a weekday lifestyle show, ''South Florida Live'', with features and sponsored segments.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Malone |first=Michael |date=June 13, 2023 |title='South Florida Live' Debuts on WTVJ Miami June 19 |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/south-florida-live-debuts-on-wtvj-miami-june-19 |access-date=May 19, 2024 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |language=en |archive-date=May 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519205802/https://www.nexttv.com/news/south-florida-live-debuts-on-wtvj-miami-june-19 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2023, WTVJ became Miami's first [[ATSC 3.0]] (NextGen TV) station on January 5, 2023, providing ATSC 3.0 broadcasts of the main channels of WFOR, WTVJ, [[WBFS-TV]], and WSCV as well as [[WPBT]] on a test basis.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-01-05 |title=Four Stations Launch NextGen TV In Miami |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/tech/article/four-stations-launch-nextgen-tv-in-miami/ |access-date=2024-05-27 |work=TVNewsCheck |language=en |archive-date=January 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106040447/https://tvnewscheck.com/tech/article/four-stations-launch-nextgen-tv-in-miami/ |url-status=live }}</ref> WTVJ was one of four NBC-owned stations to roll out an app-based experience using the 3.0 platform in April 2024.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lightreading.com/video-broadcast/nbcu-tunes-in-nextgentv-|first=Jeff|last=Baumgartner|title=NBCU tunes in 'NextGenTV'|work=LightReading|date=April 16, 2024|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=April 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418061613/https://www.lightreading.com/video-broadcast/nbcu-tunes-in-nextgentv-|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notable former on-air staff==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Red Barber]] – sportscaster<ref>{{cite news|date=November 24, 1965|title=Red Barber Adds Miami Radio Show to TV Stint|work=Variety|id={{ProQuest|1014845385}}|page=32}}</ref>
* [[David Bloom]] – reporter, 1989–1993<ref name="Miam030407">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbcs-bloom-dies-of-blo/147745062/|date=April 7, 2003|page=10A|first1=Luisa|last1=Yanez|first2=Glenn|last2=Garvin|title=NBC's Bloom dies of blood clot|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 22, 2024|archive-date=May 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522211743/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbcs-bloom-dies-of-blo/147745062/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon -->
* [[Jimmy Cefalo]] – host of ''PM Magazine'' and ''AM South Florida'', 1982–1985{{r|Miam821106}}<ref name="Sout860731">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-south-florida/148076612/|date=July 31, 1986|page=1E|first=Bill|last=Kelley|title=South Florida ripe for a live talk show|newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011548/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-south-florida/148076612/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->
* [[Joel Connable]] – reporter and anchor, 2006–2009{{r|Miam060118}}<ref name="Miam090612">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tv-news-anchor-sues-wtv/148059980/|date=June 12, 2009|page=3C|title=TV news anchor sues WTVJ over termination|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063314/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tv-news-anchor-sues-wtv/148059980/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->
* [[Kevin Corke]] – anchor/reporter, c. 2010<ref name="Sout091020">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-new-anchor-ta/148064137/|date=October 20, 2009|page=4A|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=New anchor takes Yarbrough's place|newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063810/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-new-anchor-ta/148064137/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->
* [[Lindsay Czarniak]] – sports reporter, –2005<ref name="Sout050520">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-fox-interlea/148109476/|date=May 20, 2005|page=5C|first=Jim|last=Sarni|title=Fox, interleague play return|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526174449/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-fox-interlea/148109476/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->
* [[Paul Deanno]] – chief meteorologist, 2006–2009<ref name="Miam060118">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-is-shuffling-its/148060042/|date=January 18, 2006|page=4A|first=Joan|last=Fleischman|title=NBC 6 is shuffling its anchor lineup|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 25, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011538/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-nbc-6-is-shuffling-its/148060042/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --><ref name="Sout090607">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-tj-qa/148072377/|date=June 7, 2009|page=TV 1|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=T.J. Q&A|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526035625/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-tj-qa/148072377/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->
* 
* [[Rich Funke]] – sportscaster, 1980–1981<ref name="Demo810321">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-channel-10-rehire/148084270/|date=March 21, 1981|pages=1C, [https://newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-funke/148084418/ 4C]|first1=Michael|last1=Lewis|first2=Bob|last2=Minzesheimer|title=Channel 10 rehires Funke: Could start in mid-April; sportscaster Hillman fired|newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle|location=Rochester, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526035624/https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-channel-10-rehire/148084270/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat -->
* [[Bob Gallagher (sportscaster)|Bob Gallagher]] –&nbsp;sportscaster, 1966–1972<ref name="Fort661029">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/fort-lauderdale-news-veteran-announcer-a/148150907/|date=October 29, 1966|page=8D|title=Veteran Announcer Appointed|newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063810/https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-lauderdale-news-veteran-announcer-a/148150907/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --><ref name="Miam721111">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-bob-gallagher-quits-wtv/148150897/|date=November 11, 1972|page=23A|title=Bob Gallagher Quits WTVJ Sports Post|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063810/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-bob-gallagher-quits-wtv/148150897/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat -->
* [[Bernard Goldberg]]{{r|Miam990321}}
* [[Hank Goldberg]] – sportscaster, 1983–1993<ref name="Miam830108">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-goldberg-joins-ch-4-sp/148155321/|date=January 8, 1983|page=6D|title=Goldberg joins Ch. 4 sports|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063812/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-goldberg-joins-ch-4-sp/148155321/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --><ref name="Sout930902">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-goldberg-take/148155286/|date=September 2, 1993|page=5C|first=Jorge|last=Milian|title=Goldberg takes job at ESPN2|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063813/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-goldberg-take/148155286/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu -->
* [[Suzy Kolber]] – sports intern{{r|Miam990321}}
* [[Alycia Lane]] –&nbsp;weekend anchor and reporter<ref>{{Cite news |last=Malone |first=Michael |date=August 18, 2009 |title=Controversial Anchor Alycia Lane Surfaces in LA |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/controversial-anchor-alycia-lane-surfaces-la-35295 |access-date=May 26, 2024 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |language=en |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624174520/https://www.nexttv.com/news/controversial-anchor-alycia-lane-surfaces-la-35295 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Tom Llamas]] – reporter, 2005–2008<ref name="Dail081124">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/daily-news-dots-all/148109279/|date=November 24, 2008|page=82|first=Richard|last=Huff|title=Dots all...|newspaper=Daily News|location=New York, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526174446/https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-dots-all/148109279/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon -->
* [[Antonio Mora]] – reporter and anchor, 1992–1993<ref name="Stua990131">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-stuart-news-mora-named-gma-news-an/148109986/|date=January 31, 1999|page=TVPastime 8|title=Mora named 'GMA' news anchor|newspaper=The Stuart News|location=Stuart, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063814/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-stuart-news-mora-named-gma-news-an/148109986/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->
* [[DeMarco Morgan]] – anchor, until 2008<ref name="Dail081031">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/daily-news-a-graphics-glut-shows-little/148109871/|date=October 31, 2008|page=99|first=Richard|last=Huff|title=A graphics glut shows little 'Grace'|newspaper=Daily News|location=New York, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527063815/https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-a-graphics-glut-shows-little/148109871/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->
* [[Frank Mottek]] – overnight reporter, 1991–1992<ref name="Miam921003">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-stephanie-loudis-chan/106246909/|date=October 3, 1992|page=7E|first=Stephanie|last=Loudis|title=Soper, 6: 'marriage' celebrated|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011526/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-stephanie-loudis-chan/106246909/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat -->
* [[Jim Mueller]] – sports anchor and play-by-play announcer, 1972–1974<ref name="Plai740621">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-fitzgerald-tough-act-fo/147882327/|date=June 21, 1974|page=TV Week 4|first=Chuck|last=Heaton|author-link=Chuck Heaton|title=FitzGerald tough act for new WJW-TV sports chief to follow|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|location=Cleveland, Ohio|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 27, 2024}}</ref><!-- Fri -->
* [[Chris Myers]] – sports anchor, 1981–1982<ref name="Miam821004">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ch-4-sportscaster-chri/148074284/|date=October 4, 1982|page=5B|title=Ch. 4 sportscaster Chris Myers, Ch. 7 producer resign positions|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527064318/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ch-4-sportscaster-chri/148074284/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon -->
* [[Nancy O'Dell]] – anchor/reporter, 1994–1995 (known as Nancy Humphries at WTVJ)<ref name="Miam940421">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-4-launching-new/148111833/|date=April 21, 1994|page=7G|first=Rene|last=Rodriguez|title=Channel 4 launching News at 4:30|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526181047/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-channel-4-launching-new/148111833/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --><ref name="Miam950821">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-on-duty-cop-bushwhacked/148111852/|date=August 21, 1995|page=1B|first=Joan|last=Fleischman|title=On-duty cop bushwhacked at lounge|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526181045/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-on-duty-cop-bushwhacked/148111852/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon -->
* [[Micah Ohlman]] – reporter and 10 p.m. news anchor, early 2000s<ref name="Miam000905">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-new-reporters-are-flock/148074473/|date=September 5, 2000|page=4C|title=New reporters are flocking back home; PBS launches kids' lineup|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011551/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-new-reporters-are-flock/148074473/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue --><ref name="Miam011008">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-the-news-at-10-the-add/148074528/|date=October 8, 2001|pages=1E, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-world-events-reshaping/148074494/ 3E]|first=Stephen|last=Smith|title=The News at 10: The addition of Channel 33's nascent newscast is altering the landscape of local television|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011537/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-the-news-at-10-the-add/148074528/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon -->
* [[Jerry Penacoli]] – producer and host of ''[[PM Magazine]]'', 1979–1982<ref name="Miam790723">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvj-shifts-welk-axes-cb/148076076/|date=July 23, 1979|page=6B|first=Sherry|last=Woods|title=WTVJ shifts Welk, axes CBS Saturday newscast|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011534/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-wtvj-shifts-welk-axes-cb/148076076/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --><ref name="Palm800906">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-pm-magazine-chann/148076181/|date=September 6, 1980|pages=TV Post 4, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-michals/148076208/ 5]|first=Bob|last=Michals|title='PM Magazine': Channel 4's Version Will Share Name Only With Channel 12's Own|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|location=West Palm Beach, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011528/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-pm-magazine-chann/148076181/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --><ref name="Miam821106">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-but-cefalo-gets-a-jo/148076299/|date=November 6, 1982|pages=1B, [https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-cefalo-to-join-pm-tea/148076318/ 2B]|first=Frederick|last=Burger|title=...but Cefalo gets a job|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526011531/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-but-cefalo-gets-a-jo/148076299/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat -->
* [[Kristina Pink]] – sports reporter{{r|Miam141205}}
* [[Michael Putney]] –&nbsp;reporter{{r|Miam961006}}
* [[Lonnie Quinn]] – morning meteorologist, 2002–2007<ref name="Miam050702">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tv-newsroom-romance-bri/148108913/|date=July 2, 2005|page=1B|first=Joan|last=Fleischman|title=TV newsroom romance brings wedding bells|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527064318/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-tv-newsroom-romance-bri/148108913/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --><ref name="Sout070128">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-lost-over-los/148108939/|date=January 28, 2007|page=AE&TV 22|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=Lost over Lost — again; believing in 24|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527064320/https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-lost-over-los/148108939/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->
* [[Eliott Rodriguez]] – reporter{{r|Miam961006}}
* [[Karie Ross]] –&nbsp;sportscaster, 1992–1996<ref name="Miam921111">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-karie-ross-joins-wtvj-l/148111299/|date=November 11, 1992|page=2D|first=Barry|last=Jackson|title=Karie Ross joins WTVJ lineup as reporter, anchor|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527064318/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-karie-ross-joins-wtvj-l/148111299/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --><ref name="Miam000505">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ross-plays-big-role-in/148110133/|date=May 5, 2000|page=10D|first=Barry|last=Jackson|title=Ross plays big role in ESPN book|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527064319/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-ross-plays-big-role-in/148110133/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri -->
* [[Kerry Sanders]] – reporter, 1991–1996<ref name="Tamp910711">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-familiar-faces-leave-b/148111654/|date=July 11, 1991|page=BayLife 4|first=Walt|last=Belcher|title=Familiar faces leave Bay area TV scene|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|location=Tampa, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526181112/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-familiar-faces-leave-b/148111654/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --><ref name="Miam960327">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-inmates-day-at-lipton/148111699/|date=March 27, 1996|page=2B|first=Joan|last=Fleischman|title=Inmate's day at Lipton a brisk cure for toothache|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526181049/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-inmates-day-at-lipton/148111699/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed -->
* [[Robin Swoboda]] – anchor, 1985–1986 (known as Robin Cole at WTVJ)<ref name="Plai860218">{{Cite news|last=Riccardi|first=Maria|date=February 18, 1986|title=A familiar look about the new TV face in town|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-a-familiar-look-about-t/148935993/|access-date=June 8, 2024|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|location=Cleveland, Ohio|page=6C|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><!--Tue-->
* [[Martha Teichner]] – reporter, 1973–1975<ref name="Miam731013">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-network-lining-up-orang/148083846/|date=October 13, 1973|page=2-C|first=Jack E.|last=Anderson|title=Network Lining Up Orange Bowl Coverage|newspaper=The Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032030/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-network-lining-up-orang/148083846/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --><ref name="Miam771025">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-dinah-shore-to-tape-5-sho/148083855/|date=October 25, 1977|page=7B|first=Sherry|last=Woods|title=Dinah Shore to tape 5 shows in South Florida|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527064319/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-dinah-shore-to-tape-5-sho/148083855/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->
* [[Roger Twibell]] – sportscaster, 1976–1978<ref name="Miam760721">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-first-halloran-now-chast/148083427/|date=July 21, 1976|page=7B|first=Sherry|last=Woods|title=First Halloran, now Chastain leaves WTVJ|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024|archive-date=May 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526032042/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-first-halloran-now-chast/148083427/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --><ref name="Miam780515">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-segretos-promotion-with/148083390/|date=May 15, 1978|page=5B|first=Sherry|last=Woods|title=Segreto's promotion with WTVJ popular one with station staffers|newspaper=The Miami News|location=Miami, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024}}</ref><!-- Mon -->
* [[Amara Walker]] – anchor and reporter, 2005–2012 (known as Amara Sohn at WTVJ)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lafayette |first=Jon |date=October 4, 2022 |title=Amara Walker Named Co-Anchor for CNN's 'New Day Weekend' |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/amara-walker-named-co-anchor-for-cnns-new-day-weekend |access-date=May 26, 2024 |website=Broadcasting & Cable |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Sout120624">{{Cite news|url=https://newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-barry-univers/148083311/|date=June 24, 2012|page=4A|first=Johnny|last=Diaz|title=Barry University grad to co-anchor Ch. 6 news: Tampa veteran is slated to work mornings as part of WTVJ's ongoing anchor-desk shuffle|newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 26, 2024}}</ref><!-- Sun -->
{{div col end}}

== Technical information ==

=== Subchannels ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels provided by WTVJ (ATSC 1.0)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital TV Market Listing for WSCV |url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=64971 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106200152/https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=64971 |archive-date=January 6, 2023 |access-date=January 6, 2023 |website=[[RabbitEars]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital TV Market Listing for WAMI-DT |url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=60536 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106200149/https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=60536 |archive-date=January 6, 2023 |access-date=January 6, 2023 |website=[[RabbitEars]]}}</ref>
! scope="col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope="col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope="col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope="col" | Short name
! scope="col" | Programming
! scope="col" | ATSC 1.0 host
|-
! scope="row" | 6.1
| [[1080i]]
| rowspan="4" | [[16:9]]
| WTVJ || [[NBC]]
| rowspan="3" | [[WSCV]]
|-
! scope="row" | 6.2
| rowspan="3" | [[480i]]
| COZI TV || [[Cozi TV]]
|-
! scope="row" | 6.3
| AMCRIME || [[NBC American Crimes]]
|-
! scope="row" | 6.4
| Oxygen || [[Oxygen (TV channel)|Oxygen]] || [[WAMI-DT]]
|}

=== ATSC 3.0 lighthouse ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Subchannels of WTVJ (ATSC 3.0)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital TV Market Listing for WTVJ |url=https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=63154 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106200150/https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=63154 |archive-date=January 6, 2023 |access-date=January 6, 2023 |website=[[RabbitEars]]}}</ref>
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | Short name
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | [[WPBT|2.1]]
| [[1080p]] || [[16:9]] || style="background-color:#ffffd0|WPBT-HD || style="background-color:#ffffd0|[[PBS]] ([[WPBT]])
|-
! scope = "row" | [[WPBT|2.5]]
| || || style="background-color:#ffffd0|PBSWRLD || style="background-color:#ffffd0|[[World Channel]]
|-
! scope = "row" | [[WFOR-TV|4.1]]
| rowspan=4|1080p || rowspan=4|16:9 || style="background-color:#ffe8d0|WFOR-TV || style="background-color:#ffe8d0|[[CBS]] ([[WFOR-TV]]) [[File:Action lock 2 - orange.svg|14px|alt=DRM|link=]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.1
| style="background-color:#ffe8d0|WTVJ-DT || style="background-color:#ffe8d0|[[NBC]] [[File:Action lock 2 - orange.svg|14px|alt=DRM|link=]]
|-
! scope = "row" | [[WLTV-DT|23.1]]
| style="background-color:#ffe8d0|WLTV-DT || style="background-color:#ffe8d0|[[Univision]] ([[WLTV-DT]]) [[File:Action lock 2 - orange.svg|14px|alt=DRM|link=]]
|-
! scope = "row" | [[WSCV|51.1]]
| style="background-color:#ffe8d0|WSCV-DT || style="background-color:#ffe8d0|[[Telemundo]] ([[WSCV]]) [[File:Action lock 2 - orange.svg|14px|alt=DRM|link=]]
|}
{{ubl|{{legend|#ffe8d0|Subchannel broadcast with [[digital rights management]]}}|{{legend|#ffffd0|Subchannel streamed via the Internet<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rabbitears.info/static.php?name=atsc3_streaming|title=ATSC 3.0 Streams Delivered Via Internet|website=[[RabbitEars]]|accessdate=March 24, 2024|archive-date=March 24, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324023508/https://www.rabbitears.info/static.php?name=atsc3_streaming|url-status=live}}</ref>}}}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

=== Documentaries ===
{{Refbegin|}}
* {{Cite video |url=https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/245398 |title=Fifteen Years with 4; WTVJ's 15th Anniversary, A Look Back |type=Television production |publisher=WTVJ/Wometco Enterprises |year=1964 |access-date=May 26, 2024 |via=State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|https://www.nbcmiami.com/}}
* {{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=86993 |title= History Cards for WTVJ|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}} ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Radio Stations/History Cards|Guide to reading History Cards]])<!--Converted from {{FCC letter}}--> <!--filed under WFOR-TV-->

{{Miami TV}}
{{NBC Florida}}
{{NBCUniversal}}
{{Major U.S. TV O-O Stations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wtvj}}
[[Category:1949 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:ATSC 3.0 television stations]]
[[Category:Cozi TV affiliates]]
[[Category:NFL primary television stations]]
[[Category:NBC Owned Television Stations]]
[[Category:Orange Bowl]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1949]]
[[Category:Television stations in Miami|TVJ]]
[[Category:Wometco Enterprises]]